...Did I think that there had been more to this!! :D

http://blackmoormystara.blogspot.de/201 ... -king.html

You don't have your AoI threads collected somewhere, or do you? :)

Writing from the phone, which makes this *fun*, and part of my enthusiasm might come from how wonderfully this distracts me from my impending flu shot, but... Why didn't we ever do the AoI thing? At least talk it through a bit more?

Sounds pretty cool, and is a fresh take on a setting that otherwise honestly feels a little bit crowded, already. I mean, internal coherence would be an issue to wrestle with, for sure, but it would make for a scenario that could be interesting to explore.

The main problem I personally would see with that setting would be, again, that you can't make Blackmoor a place where there is consistent and potentially life-altering trouble - because otherwise, you have the old paradox that nobody sane would want to live on the border to Mordor.

But for a more social, game-of-thrones-y approach to roleplaying, this could be pretty sweet. Thinking "Blades in the Dark", and the like.

Here is a map that Havard did a few years ago:

viewtopic.php?f=22&t=8253


What would look differently, there, as opposed to a 9th-century map of BM, I don't know, but I'd say, Starport and the Ten might not yet be there, and perhaps the halfling problem might, well, be more of a problem. Interestingly enough, this would also mean that there is a land connection to Bartertown. ...So, are the Skandaharians simply Thonians? :)

...I hate needles. I'm tattooed all over, at this point, but the needle never stops to frighten me.

/Rafe out

:D No worries. Found out that "Legend of the Galactic Heroes" got an audiobook version in the meantime, and spent the weekend recovering from the needle's bite, as well as learning everything about the nefarious Goldenbaum dynasty that I could. :D

Putting that book on my reading list, though - I even think I might have already stumbled over this one. In German, like, twenty years ago, at least, when books like that were still in every public library... Hmmm. :D

Nah, no worries, my friend. No shame in an unfinished concept. Remember how much just the LFC script changed between my different approaches? And that is to name just one example of when you were friendly enough to look over my shoulder and tell me stuff like "Rafe, I think the baboon army is a bit much". :wink: :)

I am honestly mostly interested in this one because it's your baby, if you will, as I remember how you have toyed with this idea since pretty much forever. Nothing wrong with inversed storytelling, either - a very broad concept like this one, as a premise to a game, I'd honestly simply play out, and look where it might take me. As in, sort of with "The Promised Land", you look what part of the story the players want to emphasize, and then, go with it.

Canonically/"If I was to do it" I would perhaps really go with a Disruptor Beast, mainly because it's away from most modern players' expectations. I would probably also link the whole Id concept with the werewolf/shapechanger thing that seem to be the main theme Arneson/Ritchie chose for the "Upper North" - for the simple reason that it makes for simple, yet effective roleplaying scenarios. Also, it would be possible to link it to NC 1030 plot involving Glendower - perhaps even Glendower dungeon. The Thanatos connection, in contrast, I personally don't like too much - not because it wouldn't be doable, but because I didn't like how the (non-Arneson?) concept of Thanatos was pushed by the d20 line. Just not my cup of tea, even though IIRC it opens a link to the Wilderlands of High Fantasy, even.

Anyway, very interested in what you are cooking up there! I know that our PBP days are probably behind us, but this would be a game that I'd like to try... :)

Considering that even Dave Arneson somehow avoided answering a similar question about the true nature of the Egg of Coot, I'd say that avoiding the question about the Monster of Id could be a solution perfectly fitting to the setting.

Click to enlarge.

Just a teaser for now, but you might see where I am going with this :)

-Havard