Blackmoor's Plane of Time
NAME: Plane of Time, Entrem, The Emerald River TYPE: Plane LOCATION: Unknown, likely adjacent to the Astral Plane SIZE: Universe INHABITANTS: Jumpers, Repeater, Soo, Titan of Time, Tempus Abbatis
The idea of having a Plane of Time was first introduced in the D20 Dave Arneson's Blackmoor Sourcebook, but I think we can connect this idea to the early editions of D&D and the original campaign as well. Most recently the Plane of Time was featured in the MMRPG's season 4 as well.
The Plane of Time in Early Editions and the Original Campaign Evidence to the existence of a Plane of Time in the Original Campaign is fairly speculative. However, I think it is not unreasonable to say that the original campaign featured time travel. While Earth may have been a different Dimension or Plane to that of Blackmoor, the Blackmoor players in Arneson's Group visited Earth during many different eras, including WWII and the modern Era. DA1 - Adventures in Blackmoor introduced the idea of travelling through time via the Comeback Inn. This may have been the case in the original campaign too, though the FFC is less specific about what realms the Comeback Inn connects to and Dave's references elsewhere to the "ol' teleporter" again is pretty vague.
BECMI D&D introduced a more specific Plane of Time, also called Entrem in the boxed set called Wrath of the Immortals (WotI). Previously HWA3 showed the Plane of Time as the "Emerald River". WotI also details Khoronus as one of the Immortals (Deities) of Time and Khoronus later makes a return in the D20 Blackmoor line.
The Plane of Time in d20 Blackmoor and the MMRPG The Blackmoor D20 line reveals that the Plane of Time was discovered by the Ordo Elementarum. Exploring this plane was difficult as time worked in unpredictable ways and many wizards were lost in time. The plane is described as containing running sand and mechanical clockwork like landscapes. The plane is also said to be home to an entity known as Tempus Abbatis. The MMRPG is an unofficial addition to the Blackmoor canon, but the final episodes of season 4 link Tempus Abbatis to Mieroc, the Gnome Deity. I am not really a fan of the MMRPG's treatment of Mieroc, but at least the episode offers a way out of that situation.
Conclusion I think the Plane of Time is a logical extension of what was implied with the Comeback Inn in the older material. In my version, the Comeback Inn was created by Khoronus, a patron of Time. The Comeback Inn connects to other planes as well as the Plane of Time and the Inn draws its power from the magical rock below Blackmoor.
Have I missed any details? How would you use the Plane of Time?
-Havard
_________________ Currently Running: The Blackmoor Vales Saga Currently Playing: Daniel S. Debelfry in the Throne of Star's Campaign
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