951 - Ra-All “the Wise” Andahar becomes Baron of Blackmoor and builds the Black Hall of Blackmoor Castle. (FFC80:21 “50 years ago”, present in FFC is 995-1001)
961 Ra-All made King of the Northern Marches and Earl of Vestfold by the emperor. Second Great Ben-Hassock Invasion. Baron Weasel makes secret pact with Ben-Hassocks. Blackmoor Castle besieged. Weasel meets with Ben-Hassocks on a “Peace” mission while a Ben-Hassock “security” delegation (actually a crack invasion team) enters Blackmoor Castle. Castle falls. Weasel “captured” and held “Prisoner” in the land of the Ben-Hassocks. (FFC80:21) (Note: “second coot invasion” is taken to be a mistake in both context of the paragraph and the date. Coot should be Ben-Hassock here).
962 Alveraz made Baron of Blackmoor. (Assumed Date).
970 – First contact with Coot. (TWC:15) Crash of the FSS Beagle on the Plains of Hak, near the Valley of the Ancients. (Robilar in the City of the Gods.) Stephen, a soldier onboard the Beagle, and several others mutiny and flee northwest with as much equipment as they can salvage. They discover a village hidden in a swamp with a handful of monks who believe humans must become amphibians to achieve perfection. Stephen co-opts the faith and begins construction of a new Temple of the Frog. The arrival of the Beagle leads to mutations among goblins living near the Valley of the Ancients, resulting in the new subspecies: Ash Goblin. (4eTFC:235) (date estimate based on account of Stephen Rocheford, the speculation of LordTarrant, Zeitgeistgames forum, and the fact that “generations” of mutated goblins have produced the current Ash Goblins)
985 Alveraz killed in surprise Skandarian raid. (TWC:16, FFC80:21) The Barons wife and children, having been hastily hidden behind a false wall, starve to death. (FFC80:23 – baron unspecified but Alveraz is the only candidate fitting the description) Baron Wesely returns and reclaims his title as Baron of Blackmoor. He has amassed a great deal of wealth for his treacheries. (FFC80:17 places Weasel directly before Fant) The Ran of Ah Foo, a servant of the Egg of Coot, proves to be superior to the Egg at producing effective magic. Enraged, the Egg attempts turn him into a laboratory experiment. The Ran flees to the wild southern region nominally under the control of the Duchy of The Peaks. (FFC8013,14) Here, through a combination of wizardry, swordsmanship and cunning, the Ran becomes a duke of the Ben-Hassocks and convinces the other nine to declare themselves independent of the Peaks, with himself as High Duke over the others. A hefty bribe to Lord Whitehead, the Duke of the Peaks, secures Ten’s independence. (FFC80:16, DA4:2”newly independent from the Duchy of The Peaks”) The Ran begins an intensive dragon breeding program at a large, purpose-built facility at mount Rocky and builds a new Capital nearby. (FFC80:14, approximate date, it is assumed that the Nomads of Ten and the Ben-Hassock raiders are identical)
993 (1969 AD) – A young peasant named Fredigar Cripps is remarkably lucky while adventuring, winning a huge fortune. He uses the money to begin construction of “The Comeback Inn”. (DA1:7) (The Inn is present on Arneson’s first map, and Cripps is middle aged in 1025 – DA1:34)
994 (1970 AD) - Baron Wesely orders an expedition into Blackmoor dungeon. Man at Arms Svenson is sole survivor. He delivers the magic sword “Red” to the Baron. (from G. Svenson first adventure story and sword description in FFC80:44). Marfeldt the Barabarian kills his creator and trainers and becomes a mercenary in the service of the Duke of Rhun. In a very short period he manages to become chief commander of Rhuns armies and leads them in a successful war with neighboring kingdoms and initiates several attacks against Great Empire. Rhun suffers heavy casualties. Disgusted at what Marfeldt considers unjust treatment by the Duke of Rhun, he abandons his post and heads south into the Great Empire. (FFC80:15,16)
995 (1971 AD) - The empire sends an army into Rhun and occupies the country in response to Marfeldts incursions. Meanwhile, Marfeldt causes dissention and rebellion in several provinces. (FFC80:15) The Northern Marches experience the First invasion by the Egg of Coot. (TWC:16) Captain Krey sells out to the Egg’s lieutenant Soukup. Baron Wesely “the Weasel” turns traitor for a second time, inviting the chief defenders of the castle into the library one by one where the agent of the Egg kills them. (FFC80:17) Blackmoor town is burned and castle heavily damaged during the invasion, requiring massive repair. (4eTFC148, Bob Meyer, Zeitgeistgames forum). Ultimately the invasion fails. The fate of the Weasel is unknown. Many adventures in Blackmoor dungeon. Fant is granted Blackmoor Barony. (FFC80:17) The bandit Jenkins is also made a Baron, over “the northern most march … which rests on the actual frontier with the Egg of Coot”. (FFC80:17) Marriage between Fant and Jenkins clans. (FFC80:17) A group of renegade wizards attempt to establish several baronies in the northern fens. William of the Heath leads a party of adventurers against them and defeats the wizards. (TWC:17) Birth of Iyx, heir to the Great Kingdom. (Havard, Blackmoor Forum, date assumed)
996 (1972) - A council of three is established to coordinate the administration of the Northern Marches and martial defense for the next Coot invasion. (FCC80:47) Svenny builds first stronghold. Mello builds his house. (FFC80:53) Willem of the Heath acquires blue mechanized armor from the12th level of Blackmoor Dungeon, becoming the Blue Rider. (Svenson, Zeitgeistgames forum) He also carries the sword “Blue” from the dungeons’ seventh level. (FFC80:16,33) Battle against two towers of wizardry, giant vultures in “six hills” of Wolf’s Head Pass. Svenny, Bishop Carr, Blue Rider, and Mello build Freehold to guard the Pass. Pete becomes Wizard of the Wood. (FCC80:47,48; Ross) Crash of Avian spaceship on Blackmoor. (Svenson, Blackmoor forum)
997 (1973 AD) - 2nd Coot invasion. Great War. Combined Coot, and Tenian forces attack Blackmoor. Wizards Cabal defeated and scattered. (TWC:18; FFC 80:18; 4) Blackmoor Castle conquered and ruled by King Funk I. Fant becomes a Vampire. Svenson stronghold destroyed. Gertie the Dragon killed defending Blackmoor town. (Ross, FFC, Player recollections). Funk I builds Orchian way. (FFC80:28) Blackmoor barons and heros rally, form alliance with Skandaharians, Elves and Dwarves. (Havard on Morkook, Ross) Svenny overseas the construction of a fortress at Vestfold, “called Tonisborg, complete with a dungeon and a network of catacombs.”(Odd74, Svenson, FFC80:53) Elven armies defeat the forces of Coot in Blackmoor and take control of the entire barony. (FFC80:28; 19) Svenny and others lead a “Great Vampire hunt” to dispatch the monster Sir Fang. He is caught and “killed”. The dungeon entrance into the basement of the castle is sealed and held by Elven guards. Parties are permitted to enter through a door opened temporarily. (Svenson, Wayfarer forum) Council of three becomes the Regency council (Ra-all, Menander, Uberstar Khazakhum) rule Blackmoor. (regents and date presumed by context) Svenson and other Heroes are “exiled” to Lake Gloomy and lands south for failing to defeat the Coot invasion quickly enough, (FFC80:59) where they are tasked with carving out new baronies (Svenson, Blackmoor forum) One of the Heroes is killed while investigating rumors about a brutal frog cult in the swamp. (Stephen Rocheford, Blackmoor forum)
998 (1974 AD) – Heroes led by Svenny explore swamps in search of Frog Cultists. Temple of the Frog found and raided. Some key cultists escape. (FFC80:11, Svenson and Rocheford, Blackmoor forum) Last of Eggs forces defeated and Victory declared. (TWC:18) Tenian Nomads and allies from the Plains of Hak attack new territories in the south (Province 1). Attack defeated by the Heroes. (FFC80:11, Robert Meyer, Zeitgeist Games forum) Peasant revolt in Monson and Nelson baronies. The rebels are successful and Lord Monson is killed. Lord Nelson is also badly hurt, but the revolt is crushed by Svenny and the others. (FFC80:11) Expedition to City of the Gods. Pete Gaylord - Wizard of the Wood - and Nelson are killed. (FFC80:11) Expedition to city of Father Dragon. Heroes drop a rock on the evil device, freeing dragons from enchanted sleep. Both Bosero and Brother Richard are killed. Richard’s son succeeds him, but Bosero’s holdings are covered in deadly yellow mist. (FFC80:11) Nicholson organizes Minions of the Merchant – aka the Merchant Mafia, headquartered in B;ackmoor. Svenny, Mello the Halfling, Blue Rider form an almost-rival real estate cartel. (FFC80:19) Marfeldt loots the Merchants’ Guild of Maus. (Ross) Two dwarves, Tanndon and Glerndon, discover Fangs remains and restore him to unlife, joining his Undead Legion. (Player recollections, DoCBM:231)
999 (1975 AD) – Toska Rusa, the Afridhi's high priestess, receives a grand vision of conquest from Zugzul. The god promises her a great empire for her people and she promises to build him a temple made entirely of gold in the heart of the Great Kingdom. (DA1:3,4) The Egg of Coot creates a seismic phenomena causing much of the northern marches and elven forests to flood, turning his kingdom from a peninsula into an island. Great barrier Swamp forms separating The Duchy of the Peaks from the Duchy of Ten, flooding much of the Eastern Karsh and forcing the Ben-Hassock to retreat to the western Karsh (date and information assumed by subsequent events. The Great Barrier Swamp, which is nearly impassable, though said to be ancient, can not have existed as much more than a bogland when Ten was still a province of the Peaks.)
1000 (1976 AD)– Having distinguished themselves in the establishment and defense of new baronies, the exile of the heroes is ended. Svenny leads a party of adventurers into Blackmoor dungeon in an effort to begin clearing it.. (Bill Paley,1976 Alarums and Excursions Gen con Report). Zvenzen stronghold rebuilt as Freehold. (FFC80:53) Afridhi attack the Vales. (TWC:18) Iyx becomes Emperor of the Great Kingdom.
1001(1977 AD) Judges guild publishes First Fantasy Campaign. Sildonis cleans out “Pete’s Place”, becomes new Wizard of the Wood after several others fail at the attmept. (Ross, must post date writing of FFC,1980:19) Death of Ra-all the wise. Bakula, son of Ra-all Becomes King of the Northern Marches and, in an act of solidarity, eschews the title of earl, styling himself Baron of Vestfold instead. Famoulsy, he quotes one of his fathers’ aphorisms; “We are all equals in adversity”. (4eTFC:148, death date , family relationship and details assumed to explain the end of the earldom)
1004 (1980 AD)– Al-Haza Andahar, a reclusive wizard with an interest in techno gadgetry and one of the last known Andahars, is appointed Baron of Blackmoor by the Council. (DA1:4). He divides his time between a manor house near Blackmoor town and his tower in Bleakwood., a hamlet in the foothills of the Black Mountains east of the Northern Marches.. (AiF,BoA:45 - the connection here is tenuous, based on the observation that the Al-Haza character first appears in print shortly before this time, both Uther and father are scholarly and progressive, and all Andahar Barons prior to Uther have “al” somewhere in their name.)
1005 (1981 AD) Afridhi reach Ten and threaten her boarder. A Skandaharrian army invades northern Blackmoor. Baron Al-Haza of Blackmoor gathers an army to deal with them. He leads an advance force to scout out the enemy while leaving the main body of troops under the command of his son Uther. In a surprise move, the Ran of Ah Foo pulls his reserve forces away from defending against the Afridhi and gambles all by launching an attack against Blackmoor. On the same morning, scouts report baron Al-Haza is caught in an ambush by the Skandarrians. Uther is caught between marching to his father’s rescue or meeting the much larger Tenian force. He chooses the latter and narrowly defeats Ran’s armies with some brilliant maneuvering at the battle of Lake Berne. Al-Haza however, is killed in his battle with the Skhandaharians. (DA1:4,23; 4eTFC:148, coincidence of Skhandaharrian raid and battle of Lake Berne assumed to explain how young Uther is suddenly general in chief) Founding of the Scroll and Blade Society - an elite mercenary troop of fighter Magic Users (DPG:178)
1006 (1981 AD) – Afridhi attack Ten. Slavery Abolished by the Council of Regents. (DW42:M4 – date approximate, must postdate FFC)
1007 – Restoration of Blackmoor Castle as a residence. (TWC:18) Fant, (sir Fang)of course, does not recognize the transfer of his title or his property.
1008 (1984 AD) – Third Coot invasion - The Egg of Coot launches what it hopes will be a swift surprise attack. Uther Andahar, assembling an army for a strike against the Afridhi, marches his army to intercept the foe. (TWC::19) Eggs forces are caught and driven back. The Northern Lords realize that the Duchy of Ten will soon fall to the invading Afridhis. They send a petition to Emperor Iyx asking for a permit to send an army in relief of their former enemies in Ten. They also ask for reinforcements from the rest of the Empire. Their petition is scorned by the Emperor. (DA1)
1009 (1985 AD) – Events of Garbage Pits of Despair
1012 - (1988 AD) – The Duchy of the Peaks allies with the Afridhis, who are completing their conquest of the Duchy of Ten. The Duchy of Ten falls within the year (DA1).
1013 (1989 AD) - Afridhi conquer Ten. (TWC :19) Ran of Ah Foo commits suicide. (Ross) . Bakula dies without heir. Uther’s title raised to Duke of Blackmoor. (Death supposed to explain Uthers new title “Duke” in DoCBM) Uther takes Bakula’s place on the Regency Council. He is proclaimed King of the Northern Marches and Co-regent. (TWC:19). Duke Uther’s efforts to clear Blackmoor dungeon suffer a severe reverse as undead overrun the guards stationed on level 2. The Duke orders the dungeon sealed, again. (DoCBM:24,25). From this point, I have nothing to add to the 4eTFC timeline.
_________________ "The gamemaster may find that sometimes it is a good idea to just let the unexpected lead where it will." Dave Arneson - DNA DOA
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