The Lost City of Barakus + Blackmoor?

[Rafael]

I keep my promises.

Hi all,

Some real input needed on my side, for a change.

I am pondering to run a published module some time next year, likely the rather legendary Lost City of Barakus.
While my other gaming endeavors usually stroll away from D&D, this one seems a beautiful option,
because of the quality of the module.

I'll likely put this somewhere in the Age of Theodore, my province of Bleakwood being a frontrunner candidate,
probably as a good way to flesh out the LFC main game. (Might only end up in a different setting if the in-group dynamics
force me to pick Dawnforge, or perhaps even Black Company's Known World.)

Now, the module being mighty old, and the book being released roughly at the same time as the BMCS 2004,
I wonder, did anybody run a Barakus/Blackmoor campaign yet? If so, how did things go for you?

Yours,

Rafe, delightfully weaving a sandbox scheme

[Yaztromo]

I think I never heard about Barakus

(and I won't start researching now...).

[Rafael]

Facepalm, Yaz, facepalm. Do not troll again, or we will lock you down with the other mad cows.

[Havard]

Be nice my friends, it is almost New Year

I think Rafe is talking about this one?

The Lost City of Barakus, designed to take characters from 1st to 6th level (or higher) is as much of a campaign setting as an adventure. Detailed within these pages is the great, bustling metropolis of Endhome, the Penprie Forest and Duskmoon hills located north of that city, and, finally, the huge dungeon that is the Lost City of Barakus. Within all these areas are many adventures, NPCs, and locations for the PCs to explore, interact with and conquer. How and in what order the PCs choose to take on the various challenges before them is entirely yours (the DM's) and the players' choice.

What would you be using in place of Endhome, the Penprie Forest and Duskhome?

I was thinking about getting this module some time ago, but never got around to it.

-Havard

[Rafael]

One of the very best 3.0 adventures, actually. The setting itself, very ostensibly modeled after Greyhawk's Aerdy kingdom, and probably best suited to be put there.
This is why I take part of Bleakwood for it, because both settings can be connected well. And so, it looks as if either this one, or rather, the Dawnforge Path of Legend.
(Which I never liked to run before because the campaign's pretty similar to the Grim Winter; not that I knew at the time.)

To you, I recommend getting that one: It's probably the best NG adventure out there, and I am not exaggerating.

...Which is, if you remember my post history, why I was so at odds with NG: Their first few adventures were amazing. The later ones, not so much.

[Havard]

If you are using a location outside the Blackmoor map, it might be a good idea to include some elements that ensure a Blackmooreque atmosphere. For instance, in the Vales Campaign, I used Frog Cultists and Cabal Wizards as recurring elements to emphasize the connection to Arneson's setting. Are you planning on doing something similar with Barakus perhaps?

I have very little experience with Necromancer Games Products except for the excellent Wilderlands of High Fantasy Boxed Set and Player's Guide to the Wilderlands. Although not a NG product, I recently ordered City State of the Sea Kings by two prominent NG authors, Chris Bernhardt and Rob S. Conley.

Another NG module that could be very suitable for Blackmoor is the Tome of Abysthor, which has even more Blackmoor connections than I first assumed.

-Havard

[Rafael]

For my personal game, it looks like Bleakwood, as per the AiF box is the choice, with some substantial additions, of course.

Now, NG, especially pre-Wilderlands, did a couple of pretty good modules, no question; they are Greyhawk simulacra, mostly,
but with that nearly universally applicable to any standard setting. Barakus is not even a very good fit for Blackmoor, unless
you have a clear concept in mind, like I have: "The Doom of Listonshire", to the contrary, is a Blackmoor title in all but name,
in case you're interested.

As to WL, while I appreciate that there are still books coming out, I don't see me running a campaign there, any time soon -
mainly for the reason that I shun to do all the translation work into German. Much of the setting's content just sounds crappy
if I translate it verbally.