Blackmoorian anyone?

[Le Noir Faineant]

Hallo,

Apart from my untiring passion for the Mists, I hold *Dave Arneson's Blackmoor/ The First Fantasy Campaign* as my dearest D&D setting/hobby/campaign ground. Has anyone else played/ caught interest in that marvellous fantasy setting?

Just asking out of interest!

Yours,

Rafael

[The Lesser Evil]

I got the d20 book Blackmoor, and it seems to have some real character that gives it a different feeling from a lot of the "newer" campaign setting. I particularly like the characters and class sections of the book. The Wizard's Cabal, being a LN, controlling organization, can give multiple opportunities for intrigue and be used in a variety of roles.


I have not gotten a chance to play it though.

[Le Noir Faineant]

I might end up doing either a very Blackmoor ian Ravenloft campaign this year or a very ravenloftian Blackmoor campaign.

I recommend you to download these files here, for they contain some stuff that was included in the older modules, but didn't appear in the 3e sourcebook...

[Charlatan]

Hmm, I nkow of a couple 'Blackmoors' out there in D&D land, one from Greyhawk (A mysterious northern barony, partially ruined and in decay, permiated with an strange magic from a giant feild of black ice) and one from Mystara/Known World/Basic D&D (an ancient and powerful civilization of wizards and scientists who eventually blew themselves up so badly that it changed the axial tilt of the planet). I assume that this new version is completely new and not based on either of the ones I know?...

[Le Noir Faineant]

Hmm, I nkow of a couple 'Blackmoors' out there in D&D land, one from Greyhawk (A mysterious northern barony, partially ruined and in decay, permiated with an strange magic from a giant feild of black ice) and one from Mystara/Known World/Basic D&D (an ancient and powerful civilization of wizards and scientists who eventually blew themselves up so badly that it changed the axial tilt of the planet). I assume that this new version is completely new and not based on either of the ones I know?...

Although officially there's no connection of DA's Blackmoor to another roleplaying setting, I'd say the Mystara link and maybe the First Fantasy Campaign link (with the old OD&D settings from Judges Guild, The Wilderlands, which is now back in print) are what the devolpoers had in mind. BM for Greyhawk is a totally different issue...

I personally favour the FFC link, as this was the first published version of Blackmoor, and as there is quite a lot of material at hand now which one can use for the game.

As for me RL sets the standard in *sublime* or *gothic* gaming, WL and BMs are my current favourites if it comes to heroic fantasy.

[The Lesser Evil]

This Blackmoor is unique in that it is both old and new, from what I understand. Apparently it is the Blackmoor of Dave Arneson, based on his own original designs of Blackmoor as its own seperate setting. He apparently had created this world years ago around the time (or before?) original D&D.

From what I've heard, TSR included altered versions of Blackmoor in both Greyhawk and Mystara, which are not the same as Arneson's Blackmoor.
Most of what I've heard is secondhand because I started D&D much later (2E) than that.

Thanks for the link, Desdichado, although the /url at the end I don't think is necessary.

[Le Noir Faineant]

This Blackmoor is unique in that it is both old and new, from what I understand. Apparently it is the Blackmoor of Dave Arneson, based on his own original designs of Blackmoor as its own seperate setting.

Glad to be of service!

You might want to check the ZGG forums for more info.

As to the original placement of the setting, that's to one's personal choice, since from what I understand the orginal gaming group of Arneson never left the Blackmoor's vicinity.

But, judging from what I've heard, it seems that the original BM world was like an elseworld of Gary Gygax original Greyhawk, mixed with Judges Guild material...

Lately, one is apparently trying to expand Blackmoor's vicinity and to establish a world on its own, but there a still a LOT of nods to the First Fantasy Campaign/ Judges Guild...

I'll launch a campaign set in Boggy Bottom this year...