The Dark Sun campaign has different base assumptions about money than standard ACKS. Athas is extremely poor in metals, and therefore metal coins are rare and expensive treasures, usually found in ancient ruins and dungeons.
The base coin of Athas is the ceramic piece (cp), equal in value to the copper piece. These are further divided into ceramic "bits." One bit can buy 1 gallon of water.
1 platinum piece (pp) = 5 gold pieces (gp) = 10 electrum pieces (ep) = 50 silver pieces (sp) = 500 ceramic or copper pieces (cp) = 5000 ceramic bits (bit)
Experience for treasure is calculated at 1 XP per 1 sp value.
When generating treasure, divide the amount of coins by 10 (and then, optionally, convert to the next lower type of coin; e.g. 1000 gp would become 100 gp or 1000 sp).
Prices for non-metallic items can be converted by dividing by 10 (e.g. 15 sp instead of 15 gp); most are then measured in ceramic pieces. Thus, the relative value of metallic items is tenfold. This does not apply to magical items—they are so expensive the cost of the metal is irrelevant.
Ceramic pieces are "minted" by Sorcerer-Kings and by merchant houses, and they are backed by water: each is essentially a "water chit" that can be cashed in for water at wells and oases owned by the the city or house. Coins are precisely painted and glazed to discourage counterfeiting, and counterfeiting is punished as Sedition. Metal coins are not commonly used as currency—they are treated as treasure—but most merchants and templars will eagerly accept them if they can get an advantageous deal.
Athasians have long perfected the craft of making armor out of abundant natural materials, mostly the bones, shells, hides, and chitin of beasts and monsters. Shields and lighter armor (AC 3 or less) are almost always made from non-metallic alternatives.
All armor of AC 4 or above (chain, banded, and plate) must be made of metal (bronze, iron, or steel).
Metal armor is expensive (ten times the cost), extremely rare, and punishingly hot under the pitiless crimson sun: anyone wearing metal armor more than briefly will require twice the usual amount of water each day. This applies even to magical armor.
| Item | AC | Cost | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hide Armor | 1 | 100 cp | 1 stone |
| Leather Armor | 2 | 200 cp | 2 stone |
| Arena Armor | 2 | 300 cp | 2 stone |
| Scale Armor | 3 | 300 cp | 3 stone |
| Chain Mail | 4 | 4000 cp | 4 stone |
| Banded Plate | 5 | 5000 cp | 5 stone |
| Plate Armor | 6 | 6000 cp | 6 stone |
| Advanced Half-Plate Armor | 4 | 10,000 cp | 3 stone |
| Advanced Field Plate Armor | 6 | 15,000 cp | 4 stone |
| Advanced Full Plate Armor | 8(6) | 30,000 cp | 6 stone |
| Shield | +1 | 100 cp | 1 stone |
| Helmet, Heavy | Special | 200 cp | 1 item |
| Barding (Large/Huge/Gigantic) | |||
| Leather | +1 | 400/1200/4800 cp | 1/3/12 stone |
| Scale | +2 | 750/2250/9000 cp | 2/6/24 stone |
Advanced Armor: Advanced armors are no longer made, but only found in ruins as relics. They are constructed not of iron or steel, but of arcane alloys of ceramic and metal that can no longer be replicated or reproduced. Re-fitting them, especially the heavier types, is very challenging. Half-plate armor (also called security armor) consists of a cuirass, open-faced helmet, pauldrons, and vambraces. Field plate armor (also called simply field armor) adds greaves, tassets, and a gorget. Full plate armor (also called assault armor) covers the body completely, with weak spots at the joints. Full plate grants only AC 6 against metal two-handed weapons, firearms, and metal-tipped arrows or bolts. Enchanting the ancient alloys is difficult: a +1 bonus costs 15,000 sp and takes 2 months per point of AC, and a +2 bonus costs 35,000 sp and takes 3 months per point of AC. Higher bonuses cannot be enchanted except through experimentation.
Arena Armor: Arena armor is essentially a variant of leather armor, typified by the gladiator harness, with full or partial coverage on one or both arms. It is designed to look good: characters with STR, DEX, CON, and CHA all 11+ gain a +1 bonus on reaction rolls using Seduction (or where it would apply) while wearing it.
Barding: War beasts are frequently given armor, called barding; it essentially comes in "light" (leather, +1 AC) and "heavy" (scale, +2 AC) varieties. Crodlus use large barding (weight equal to AC bonus); inixes use huge barding (weight equal to thrice AC bonus); mekillots use gigantic barding (weight equal to quadruple AC bonus). Metal barding is vanishingly rare; for each +1 to AC, double the cost of scale barding, and increase weight linearly.
Helmet, Heavy: Heavy helmets cover the face and neck fully. They are often made from beast skulls. When worn (whether with or without armor), they impose a -1 penalty on surprise rolls and -4 to hear noise throws, but grant a +2 bonus to the d20 roll on the Mortal Wounds table. If made from metal (at 10 times the price), the bonus is +4.
Hide Armor: Hide armor usually consists of crudely-worked hide or shell covering part of the body. A typical version, popularized by gladiators, is the harness: straps of leather with a few solid pieces attached, covering one or both shoulders and sometimes part of the chest. Other variants include armor woven from giant's hair.
Leather Armor: Leather armor is made by working the hides of beasts into solid armor with decent coverage. A popular variant is the war harness, inspired by gladiator armor; it usually includes at least one full-arm cover and a chest piece, along with a helmet. Other variants are hard agafari wood armor or bone armor.
Scale Armor: Scale armor is made by stitching large, heavy beast scales to a backing so that they overlap. Similar protection is afforded by shell armor (usually made from inix shells) and chitin armor (often made with kank chitin). More unique variants include armor made by mixing bonemeal or ground chitin into a resin that hardens, setting it into a shape.
Shield: Shields are frequently made in the traditional way—by stretching hide over wood—but just as often, they are made from chitin plates, beast shells, or even the hard skulls of large beasts.
Just like armor, Athasians make weapons out of non-metal alternatives. Bone, chitin, obsidian, flint, and wood (especially the agafari hardwood) are most common, as are claws, fangs, and mandibles.
Metal (bronze, iron, and steel) weapons are 10 times the price, as usual. Some monsters can only be hurt by metal weapons (or either metal or magic weapons; a few are only hurt by weapons that are both). Non-metal weapons cannot sunder metal weapons (except for spears and polearms with metal heads), and always fail the saving throw against being sundered by metal weapons. Non-metal swords, daggers, and shields do not gain a +4 bonus to save vs. sundering. The magical exception applies: a metal sword cannot sunder a magical bone weapon unless it has an equal or greater magic bonus.
Most magical weapons are metal; the cost is negligible compared to the cost of creating the magic weapon. Many ancient metal weapons found in ruins are the equivalent of magical weapons, the lost techniques used in their forging being practically magical.
| Item | Damage | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| All as per ACKS, with prices converted to ceramic pieces | ||
| Battle glove | 1d3 | 30 cp |
| Flails, Hammers, and Maces | ||
| Singlestick | 1d6 | 30 cp |
| Other Weapons | ||
| Chatkcha | 1d4 | 100 cp |
Most Athasian weapons are simply treated as versions of normal ACKS weapons.
Battle Glove: A battle glove is usually made of beast hide, with horny scales or hides preferred; in other cases, bone spikes or claws are added to them. Many are elbow- or shoulder-length, often with dangerous protrusions over the length. Someone wielding a battle glove deals 1d3 lethal damage with brawling attacks. They still cannot deal damage to opponents in metal armor.
Chatkcha: A throwing weapon of the thri-kreen, with three short blades protruding from a shared base (well-suited to the three-fingered kreen grip), usually with a hole or holes in the center; most variants are radially symmetrical, but some are bilaterally symmetrical instead. They are sometimes made of hardwood, stone, or obsidian, but thri-kreen prefer making them from dasl, a crystallized resin that they can excrete from their mouths. The chatkcha is thrown, using the range of darts, but it returns to the user's hand; a skilled thrower can hit several targets with one throw (allowing cleaving as with other thrown weapons).
Singlestick: Essentially a well-crafted club, a length of hardwood about 3 feet long.
Axes: Axes are simple to replicate: stone heads attached to wood hafts serve the job. Hard bones may be worked into an axe shape, and hardwood may be carved to form both haft and blade from a single piece. Lashing a jawbone to a wood haft is a popular option, and large, curving claws can serve well.
Bows: Crossbows are made with clever mechanisms of bone or wood. Arrows and bolts have fire-hardened wood tips, or heads of flint, obsidian, or bone; often, sharp straight teeth or fangs are used.
Flails, Hammers & Maces: These weapons are easily replicated with stone or bone. Even an unworked bone can serve as a club. Flails use rope, often giant's hair, instead of chains. Hammers and maces are made with stone or solid ceramic heads, or by attaching a hard skull to a haft. Alternatively, a particularly large claw or fang might be carved so that the tip end becomes the handle, and the base the head.
Polearms & Spears: Spears are easily made from fire-hardened wood, or by lashing a tip of flint, obsidian, or bone to the haft. Sometimes, hafts are carved from long bones. Polearms come in countless varieties, with imaginative heads.
Swords & Daggers: Claws and fangs are popular for making swords and daggers. Flnt and obsidian daggers are also common. Swords are sometimes made by attaching sharp pieces of obsidian to the sides of a long haft, or more rarely by knapping and sharpening the edges of a long piece of obsidian; this is uncommon, as long blades will be fragile. Chitin swords are usually made from mandbles, or the limbs of insects resembling the serrated tibia or femur of a mantis. Long bones are often sharpened into swords, but are likewise fragile.
Alhulak (Flail): A one-handed rope weapon consisting of a handle, a short rope, and a short, sturdy haft with a carved mekillot-bone hook with three or four blades, resembling a grappling hook.
Cahulaks (Morning Star): A variant of the alhulak, with two grappling-hook-like heads made of bone attached to a longer rope, swung together or in succession, or one swung with greater momentum.
Carrikal (Battle Axe, Greataxe, Hand Axe): An axe made by lashing a jawbone (still containing teeth, and the joint sharpened) to a length of mekillot bone.
Datchi Club (Morning Star): A large club made from a wood or bone handle and a long mass of tough, hardened vines or roots. Thorns, claws, or fangs are usually attached to the head. It is popular in arenas, as it inflicts a multitude of shallow, bleeding wounds with each hit.
Dragon's Paw (Polearm): A short spear with two heads, with a curved bar in the middle of the shaft to protect the handle; one or more spikes project from the hand-guard. It is a popular arena weapon.
Forearm Axe (Hand Axe): This weapon consists of a bracer with an axe-blade projecting from the underside of the arm (or two blades, on both sides). Many are made from an animal hip bone with sharpened edges.
Gouge (Polearm): A weapon resembling a shovel, with a two grips perpendicular to the shaft, and a broad, sharpened head.
Gythka (Polearm): A thri-kreen weapon consisting of a long haft with a head at either end; the heads consist of three-pointed blades, the flanking blades at 45 to 90 degree angles to the central point. Thri-kreen make the blades from dasl, the crystallized resin they excrete.
Impaler (War Hammer): This weapon is a double-headed pick, usually made of bone. Single-headed variants are common. It is popular with tareks.
Lotulis (Polearm): A long polearm with a crescent blade at either end, with barbs or spikes at the base of the blade.
Puchik (Short Sword): A katar-like weapon consisting of a blade with a horizontal grip, usually covered by a handguard; the entire weapon is often carved from a single large bone, with the joint serving as the handguard.
Quabone (Mace): This weapon consists of four shanks of bone lashed together and sharpened at the ends.
Singing Sticks (Singlestick): Used in pairs, singing sticks are made of springy wood, slightly wider at the ends—a pair of thigh-bones would serve a similar purpose. When twirled, the sticks produce a characteristic whistling and moaning sound.
Tortoise Blade (Short Sword): A katar-like weapon consisting of a shell with one end sharpened into a protruding blade, and a horizontal grip on the inside. They are made of shells, chitin, or bone.
Trikal (Greataxe): A long haft, usually wood, with three blade—usually sharpened jawbones—lashed to one end, producing a head with three spikes and a series of serrations beneath them.
Weighted Pike (Polearm): A pike with a baked ceramic or stone head at one end, used to smash enemies that get inside the reach of the pike-head.
Widow's Knife (Dagger): Made of bone or stone, this tool-turned-weapon has a broad, fan-shaped blade atop a short handle. With practice, it can be thrown accurately.
Wrist Razor (Short Sword): Three sharp blades of bone or obsidian lashed to a heavy bracer or armband, protruding over the wielder's fist.
Various reptiles, flightless birds, and insects are commonly used as beasts of burden and mounts in Athas. More exotic beasts are used in various places, but those listed here are universal across the Tablelands.
Draft animals can carry loads but not riders (although draft inix and mekillots are controlled from the howdah). Riding animals can carry a rider, but are hard to control in combat and will not fight. War animals can carry a rider into combat, and will fight.
All the listed animals are well-suited to the environment and climate of Athas: they can all survive for 2 weeks without water provided they started out well-watered; and all of them travel at full speed in sandy wastes. (Note, however, that carts, wagons, and argosies can only travel on paths and roads, and mekillots may have trouble with certain terrain, such as mountains.)
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Saddle and tack (draft) | 50 cp |
| Saddle and tack (riding) | 100 cp |
| Saddle and tack (war) | 250 cp |
| Saddlebags | 50 cp |
| Stabling (crodlu, one night) | 10 cp |
| Stabling (erdland, one night) | 5 cp |
| Stabling (erdlu, one night) | 2 cp |
| Stabling (inix, one night) | 12 cp |
| Stabling (kank, one night) | 3 cp |
| Stabling (mekillot, one night) | 50 cp |
| Animals | |
| Crodlu, Heavy Draft | 400 cp |
| Crodlu, Heavy War | 7000 cp |
| Crodlu, Light Riding | 750 cp |
| Crodlu, Light War | 1500 cp |
| Crodlu, Medium Draft | 300 cp |
| Crodlu, Medium Riding | 400 cp |
| Crodlu, Medium War | 2500 cp |
| Erdland | 400 cp |
| Erdlu | 80 cp |
| Inix, Draft | 15,000 cp |
| Inix, Riding | 25,000 cp |
| Inix, War | 35,000 cp |
| Kank | 200 cp |
| Mekillot, Draft | 30,000 cp |
| Mekillot, "Riding" | 50,000 cp |
| Vehicles | |
| Argosy, Large | 200,000 cp |
| Argosy, Small | 50,000 cp |
| Argosy, War | 400,000 cp |
| Cart (small) | 250 cp |
| Cart (large) | 500 cp |
| Howdah, Inix Pack/Riding | 300 cp |
| Howdah, Inix War | 600 cp |
| Howdah, Mekillot Pack/Riding | 1200 cp |
| Howdah, Mekillot War | 2400 cp |
| Wagon | 2000 cp |
Argosy, Large: These colossal wagons are drawn by a pair of mekillots. They are generally 60' to 100' long, 30' to 60' wide, and some 20' to 30' high, with two or three decks. They can carry an officer, 50 guards, and 20 crew (including the mekillot handler). In addition, they can carry 4,000 stone (40,000 lbs.) of cargo. They may have platforms on the top deck, where 2 light catapults can be mounted (one each at the bow and stern); a single heavy catapult may be installed instead.
Argosy, Small: These enormous wagon are drawn by one mekillot. They are generally 40' to 60' long, 20' to 40' wide, and some 10' to 15' high. They can carry an officer, 20 guards, and 10 crew (including the mekillot handler). In addition, they can carry 2,000 stone (20,000 lbs.) of cargo. They may have platforms on top (which is usually a walkable "deck") where 2 light catapults can be mounted (one each at the bow and stern).
Argosy, War: These colossal, armored wagons are drawn by a pair of mekillots. They are generally 60' to 100' long, 40' to 80' wide, and some 30' to 40' high, with three or four decks. They can carry an officer, 75 guards, and 30 crew. In addition, they can carry 6,000 stone (60,000 lbs.) of cargo. They have well-covered decks and shooting platforms on the top deck. They may be equipped with 3 light catapults (a heavy catapult can substitute for 2 light catapults).
Cart: A two-wheeled open vehicle drawn by beasts (kanks, crodlus, or erdlands). Except in rare plains and grasslands, they can only travel where roads and paths are available.
Crodlu: Crodlus are large, scaly, bipedal birds (9' tall and 400-1,400 lbs.) used as mounts and beasts of burden, as well as livestock. They can be trained as draft, riding, or war beasts.
Crodlu, Heavy: Weighs 1,400 lbs. Specially-bred and trained for a purpose. Movement rate 120', carrying capacity 40/80 stone.
Crodlu, Light: Weighs 400 lbs. Movement rate 240', carrying capacity 20/40 stone.
Crodlu, Medium: Weighs 900 lbs. Movement rate 180', carrying capacity 30/60 stone.
Erdland: Erdlands are larger relatives of erdlus, bipedal featherless birds (15' tall, 2,000 lbs.). They are sometimes used as draft animals. Movement rate 60', carrying capacity 45/90 stone.
Erdlu: Erdlus are man-sized, featherless bipedal birds used as beasts of burden and livestock. Movement rate 120', carrying capacity 8/16 stone.
Howdah, Inix Pack/Riding: A wicker or bone frame covered with hide, roughly 4' long and 3' wide, usually with a roof to cover the rider. It can carry 2 people (4 if they squeeze in, suffering -4 to attack throws and -2 to AC); with only 1 rider, it can carry up to 180 stone of cargo. 6 stone, AC 0, 1 shp.
Howdah, Inix War: A hard bone frame covered with hard shell and hide, roughly 4' long and 3' wide, with tall sides. It can carry 2 people (4 if they squeeze in, suffering -4 to attack throws and -2 to AC). Riders gain +3 to AC and +3 to saves vs. Blast from artillery, burning oil, etc. 15 stone, AC 1, 1 shp.
Howdah, Mekillot Pack/Riding: A wicker or bone frame covered with hide, roughly 7' long and 5' wide, usually with a roof to cover the rider. It can carry 6 people (12 if they squeeze in, suffering -4 to attack throws and -2 to AC); with only 1 rider, it can carry up to 360 stone of cargo. 18 stone, AC 0, 1 shp.
Howdah, Mekillot War: A hard bone frame covered with hard shell and hide, roughly 7' long and 5' wide, with tall sides. It can carry 6 people (12 if they squeeze in, suffering -4 to attack throws and -2 to AC). Riders gain +4 to AC and +4 to saves vs. Blast from artillery, burning oil, etc. 36 stone, AC 1, 1 shp.
Inix: Inixes are huge, hard-shelled lizards (16' and 4,000 lbs.). Although dangerous and ill-tempered, they can be trained as draft, riding, or war beasts. Their long tail prevents them from drawing wagons, but they can carry loads, riders, or howdahs on their backs. They require fodder whenever they cannot spend the day foraging. Movement rate 150', carrying capacity 100/200 stone.
Kank: Kanks are large black insects, resembling ants and beetles. They are bred as mounts, draft beasts, and livestock (for their nectar and eggs, never their foul meat). Movement rate 120', carrying capacity 20/40 stone.
Mekillot: Mekillots are elephantine lizards with mound-shaped bodies covered by hard shells (30', 12,000 lbs.). They are notoriously cantankerous and hard to train or control, and are usually handled by psionicists. They are usually trained as draft beasts, to pull the giant wagons called argosies popular with large caravans; but they can also carry a howdah. Some are trained as riding beasts to pull war argosies into battle; even monster-whisperers rarely find a mekillot intelligent and tractable enough to train as a war beast. Movement rate 120', carrying capacity 200/400 stone.
Saddle and Tack: Beasts harnessed to carts or wagons need draft saddle and tack, which cannot be used for riding. Riders using riding saddle and tack must save v. Paralysis when damaged in combat, or be knocked off.
Saddlebags: Can hold 3 stone.
Stabling: Stabling includes fodder and, perhaps most importantly for caravans, watering.
Wagon: Covered vehicles with four or more wheels, drawn by beasts of burden (kanks, crodlus, or erdlands). Except in rare plains and grasslands, they can only travel where roads and paths are available.
| Animal/ Vehicle |
Exploration Movement |
Normal Load |
Maximum Load |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crodlu, Heavy | 120' / 60' | 40 | 80 |
| Crodlu, Light | 240' / 120' | 20 | 40 |
| Crodlu, Medium | 180' / 90' | 30 | 60 |
| Erdland | 60' / 30' | 45 | 90 |
| Erdlu | 120' / 60' | 8 | 16 |
| Inix | 150' / 75' | 100 | 200 |
| Kank | 120' / 60' | 20 | 40 |
| Mekillot | 120' / 60' | 200 | 400 |
| Cart, Small, 1 Kank | 60' / 30' | 35 | 70 |
| Cart, Small, 2 Kanks * | 60' / 30' | 80 | 160 |
| Cart, Large, 1 Heavy Crodlu ** | 60' / 30' | 80 | 160 |
| Cart, Large, 2 Heavy Crodlus ** | 60' / 30' | 120 | 240 |
| Wagon, 2 Heavy Crodlus ** | 60' / 30' | 160 | 320 |
| Wagon, 4 Heavy Crodlus ** | 60' / 30' | 320 | 640 |
| Argosy, Small, 1 Mekillot | 60' | 2,000 *** | — |
| Argosy, Large, 2 Mekillots | 60' | 4,000 *** | — |
| Argosy, War, 2 Mekillots | 45' | 6,000 *** | — |
| * 1 heavy crodlu or erdland may be substituted for 2 kanks. | |||
| ** 2 kanks or medium crodlus, or 1 erdland, may be substituted for 1 heavy crodlu. | |||
| *** Cargo in addition to the crew. | |||