Ok, planning a game of my own with Pathfinder, and wanted to forge some ideas...
One Viewpoint: There is a war going on, a relatively new war, against a species that has apparently lived on the planet for at least as long as the humans, but have made it a point to avoid contact with other civilizations. They are insect-like, and their hive-like mind simply can't handle inter-species interaction (or so that's what the human Sorcerer-Kings have been saying). These insect-like things, which the humans have started calling the Thri-Kreen, are tricky things though, and often find ways to pit human kingdoms against human kingdoms, (or so the power-grubbing Sorcerer-Kings would have us believe) breaking age-old alliances.
Another viewpoint: The Sorcerer Kings are via-ing for power and might, seeking out and snatching up whatever artifacts they can in an effort to throw the balance off in their favor. Dark magicks leak into the land, and a recent discovery of humanoid crickets has given cause to war each other, as they try to annihilate the terrorist species of bugs that other kingdoms supposedly harbour.
The players: Borne into one of the weaker kingdoms, one whose Sorcerer King is obviously losing against a three-fold attack as the wolves circle the crippled remains, our players begin the game with their city pummeled by destructive forces as fire and hail rain down from the skies, destroying all that remains of their home and loved ones (individual playing of losing each's familes and loved ones to increase the drama and trauma). They take shelter in the one building that seems to be unscathed, the Temple of Iomedae, the Sun. As they try surviving amidst everything, the temple caves in around them, dumping them into a Crypt that has been hidden for centuries, if not millenniums.
The idea: Before it was Dark Sun, it was a living breathing world not unlike most other D&D scenarios. That is the world the players are born into, and this time, maybe Destiny will have a different story to tell as the players rise in power to challenge the would-be world destroyers, and the Sorcerer Kings themselves. Same basic rules, no new races to play with, but it will give me a chance to introduce my Psychic Warrior class I've worked on.
Starting out: I'm allowing each player to select 1 weapon (or item that gives bonuses to combat), 1 armour (or item that grants AC bonuses), and 2 misc items. They'll start the game at 2nd level, with +1 weapon/armour of choice, "on credit". These will be 'found' in the crypts as Iomedae chooses his Champions to fight back against the Sorcerer Kings.
Equipment: It will be a non-magic-item game, rather than find armours/shields/rings/etc, they'll each get to treat their magic items as class bonuses once they've paid for them via the cash-for-level table. So, those Weapons/Armours they start with, might or might not be magical, and be the only magic they ever receive (not even haversacks). Each player can choose how that works for them. Ie: the Monk just has better attacks/AC because of his bracers/amulet. The Dragon Sorcerer/Paladin on the other hand, wants to have his skin turn into scales (Dragon Disciple in the planning), and carry the last and only Holy Avenger (Starting as a Cold Iron Longsword +1).
But now I could use an assist....
Ideas on how to change the world from what it is now, into what it could become. Ways to strip metal, dry the oceans, salt the jungles, etc, in stories that they will be involved in... Especially lower-level ideas... Give them a chance, albeit small, to avert the future Destiny that becomes Dark Sun.
Defiling magic would be on the rise now.
Defiling golems that are fueled by ambiant life energy.
Cabals of wizards empowering spells through defiling.
If I remember correctly Sorcerer kings were able to grant magic by some strange being. Bah can't remember right now.
Large scale acid/corrosive clouds. Living defiling spells run amok.
Anyhoots, game-1 completed. It was a scare... a monster-scare. :D
With the ominous clouds in the atmosphere, the unholy stench of magic, the sudden death of the crops, the characters and their familes, along with everyone in the village, decided to barricade themselves into the village behind flimsy walls and wait for it to pass. The characters themselves went out and patrolled, trying to find out what was going on...
Screams are heard from the village causing the players to come running back to find blood and guts everywhere. A species completely unheard of, "Sand Sharks", have found their next dinner, and it's the relatives, family and loved ones of our heroes. They watch, trying to chase after the sharks to have them disappear under the sand with their latest victim, as the sharks pick off, one by one, the villagers, and disgorge their remains back on the surface. The Paladin in the group did kill one, but it was a dull victory as they realized these were the pups. Papa was seen in the square and it was the size of a dragon. Chasing after it, they got sucked into the sand by its wake. Unable to breathe, failing constitution checks, they find themselves free of the wake and stuck in the sand, an unknown distance beneath the ground, just waiting to either asphyxiate or get picked off by the Sand Sharks. As all hope seems lost, as one by one they start passing out from lack of air, the sand shifts a bit, and they find themselves slipping downward until suddenly they're falling through air, sand piling in behind them.
What little strength they have left is used to pull their passed out comrades out of this chamber and through a ... door? Seems the sand dump, dropped them into some long lost and ancient ruin. Slamming the door behind them before the sand burst through, they began their exploratons through a stale and musky ruin. (pull out maps)
Deep within, they come across a temple room with an Altar, and hanging around the room are various items of power. Also in the room were pipes, that created a puzzle. The idea being to channel light that was coming out of the wall, through the altar, and back out a hole in another part of the wall to active a Gate that allowed them to escape into the barren wastelands above, a few miles outside the remains of their village.
Was a good game. :) But, only 1 encounter really, wasn't THAT sure of myself on combat rules so didn't want to bog it down too much. Will aim for 3 encounters next game since I'm building up that confidence a bit. :)