Close
Close
Advanced Search

Windriders of the Jagged Cliffs (2e)Click to magnify
Quick Preview
/gs_flipbook/flip.php?xml=/demo_xml/17204.xml&w=500&h=314
Full‑size Preview
https://watermark.dmsguild.com/pdf_previews/17204-sample.pdf

Windriders of the Jagged Cliffs (2e)

ADD TO WISHLIST >

And so I found myself learning about a folk that I had never heard described even in rumors. These halflings are an ancient people-in fact, they gave a new definition for "ancient." Their race is older than any other on Athas. They remember times before the Warbringer, before magic, and before the advent of the Way. 
-The Wanderer's Journal

To the west of Tyr, the proud strongholds of the Jagged Cliffs defy everything that is known about Athas. The history of the halflings who live there is as old as Athas itself. Their origins lie with the rhulisti, who were masters of the world during the Blue Age-and you caused the end of an age when a simple experiment went horribly awry.

Windriders of the Jagged Cliffs details the lives of the rhul-thaun-the descendants of the rhulisti and the keepers of the ancient knowledge who practice the most unusual and arcane art under the crimson sun: the shaping of life itself.

This 128-page accessory for players and Dungeon Masters alike is the first in the "Wanderer's Chronicle" series that explores new areas of Athas. It features:

  • Details of the Jagged Cliffs region, he rugged land that lies between Tyr and the Kreen Empire.
  • Living tools left from Athas's dim past, including organic weapons, armor, and flying vehicles.
  • Secrets of the swamp at the base of the Cliffs, and its link to all magic within the world of Athas.
  • Details for creating these unique halfling characters.
  • A complete adventure for existing PCs or newly created rhul-tan characters.

Product History

Windriders of the Jagged Cliffs (1995), by Monte Cook, is the first book in the Wanderer's Chronicle series for Revised Dark Sun. It was released in December 1995.

Origins. Cook was given the name of this book and a few notes on windriders from Dark Sun Campaign Setting Expanded and Revised (1995). From there, he was able to follow his own vision while writing this new Dark Sun sourcebook — a degree of creative freedom that was common at TSR during this time.

The life-shaping magic of Windriders was in part influenced by Cook's previous work on Dark Space (1990), a science fantasy setting for Rolemaster and Space master. Cook would more fully return to the topic in his own d20 book, Chaositech (2004).

Continuing the Dark Sun Series. In late 1995, TSR released Dark Sun Campaign Setting Expanded and Revised (1995), a new iteration of the Dark Sun setting that was intended both to move the world of Athas beyond the events of the Prism Pentad novels (1991-1993) and to expand it beyond the traditional boundaries of the Tyr Region.

Windriders of the Jagged Cliffs showed how they were going to do so. Not only did it detail a new geographical region but it also dove deep into the history of Athas, revealing the Rhul-Thaun — a halfling race from the Blue Age that has a long (if fragmentary) memory of the planet's past.

This supplement was meant to be the first of the "Wanderer's Chronicles", which would have continued to expand the world of Athas, but only one more was released before the setting's demise: Mind Lords of the Last Sea (1996).

Love It or Hate It? The supplements from Revised Dark Sun were often controversial because they expanded the setting in dramatic and outré ways. If people didn't like Windriders, it was because of the biotech-like life-shaping magic of the Rhul-Thaun. This magic suggested the science-fiction themes that Dark Sun would develop in its final books.

Expanding Athas. Windriders offered one of the biggest expansions of Athas to date. It introduced the Jagged Cliffs region, to the west of the Tyr region,
and detailed it with a beautiful full-color map; it also hinted at the dangers of the Thri-Kreen empire lying beyond. As already noted, Windriders also originated the Rhul-Thaun, a second race of halfings, and their life-shaping magic. Finally, it delved deep into the history of Athas, going all the way back to the Blue Age.

About the Creators. Cook was recently arrived at TSR and Windriders was one of his earlier works. He'd come of his own in 1996 with a slew of Planescape releases.

About the Product Historian

The history of this product was researched and written by Shannon Appelcline, the editor-in-chief of RPGnet and the author of Designers & Dragons - a history of the roleplaying industry told one company at a time. Thanks to Robert Adducci for Dark Sun advice. Please feel free to mail corrections, comments, and additions to shannon.appelcline@gmail.com.

We (Wizards) recognize that some of the legacy content available on this website does not reflect the values of the Dungeons & Dragons franchise today. Some older content may reflect ethnic, racial, and gender prejudice that were commonplace in American society at that time. These depictions were wrong then and are wrong today. This content is presented as it was originally created, because to do otherwise would be the same as claiming these prejudices never existed. Dungeons & Dragons teaches that diversity is a strength, and we strive to make our D&D products as welcoming and inclusive as possible. This part of our work will never end.

pixel_trans.gif
pixel_trans.gif
 
 Customers Who Bought this Title also Purchased
pixel_trans.gif
pixel_trans.gif
Reviews (0)
Discussions (0)
Browse Categories
$ to $
 Follow Your Favorites!
NotificationsSign in to get custom notifications of new products!















Product Information
Electrum seller
Author(s)
Rules Edition(s)
Pages
128
Edition
1.0
ISBN
0-7869-0169-1
Publisher Stock #
TSR 2439
File Size:
9.1 MB
Format
Scanned image Click for more information
Scanned image
These products were created by scanning an original printed edition. Most older books are in scanned image format because original digital layout files never existed or were no longer available from the publisher.

For PDF download editions, each page has been run through Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software to attempt to decipher the printed text. The result of this OCR process is placed invisibly behind the picture of each scanned page, to allow for text searching. However, any text in a given book set on a graphical background or in handwritten fonts would most likely not be picked up by the OCR software, and is therefore not searchable. Also, a few larger books may be resampled to fit into the system, and may not have this searchable text background.

For printed books, we have performed high-resolution scans of an original hardcopy of the book. We essentially digitally re-master the book. Unfortunately, the resulting quality of these books is not as high. It's the problem of making a copy of a copy. The text is fine for reading, but illustration work starts to run dark, pixellating and/or losing shades of grey. Moiré patterns may develop in photos. We mark clearly which print titles come from scanned image books so that you can make an informed purchase decision about the quality of what you will receive.
pixel_trans.gif
Original electronic format
These ebooks were created from the original electronic layout files, and therefore are fully text searchable. Also, their file size tends to be smaller than scanned image books. Most newer books are in the original electronic format. Both download and print editions of such books should be high quality.
File Information
Watermarked PDF Click for more information
Watermarked PDF

These PDF files are digitally watermarked to signify that you are the owner. A small message is added to the bottom of each page of the PDF containing your name and the order number of your purchase.

Warning: If any files bearing your information are found being distributed illegally, then your account will be suspended and legal action may be taken against you.

Here is a sample of a page from a watermarked title:

File Last Updated:
June 23, 2014
This title was added to our catalog on June 24, 2014.