Hello. New to Blackmoor.

[Havard]

Really, what we need are timelines with footnotes. After all, at this point it's a scholarly activity and not just some guy doing a timeline for a homebrewed campaign.

Ross already made a timeline with footnotes. I was actually shocked when I first saw that, as very few fan works are so meticulous. Aldarron may criticize said timeline, but other than a few minor nitpicks, I see no reason to discard it as it stands.

I am not even sure something like that would solve anything, since the disagreements are more about which sources to include than its actual contents.

I'm not enough of a Blackmoor scholar to be able to pick up on some of the minutia errors and for me it would require a lot of reading just to get "up to speed" (even if my memory was strong enough for me to retain all of the data) so maybe that helps to explain why I lilke the older stuff better. Less to know!

To be honest, there is no need for anyone to know all this. A 3E DM would be equally happy to just pick up the 3E DAB CS and learn what's found within it. Why would be bother about whether Robert I was named after Rob Kuntz? These are academic discussions that can be interesting, but I am also worried that they could drive people away from participating on these boards.

-Havard

[Rafael]

*Rant rant rant.*

Indeed, too much scholarly babbling, and too little practical advice.

The original question was how to get into Blackmoor without much addo.
What about answering the original question in an intelligible and transparent fashion?

Here's my try:

1. Imagine the feel of Blackmoor as a mix between "The Lord of the Rings" and the "Gor" series.
2. For stuff that best enhances your game, check the d20 line.
3. For stuff that gives you extended background info, check the older stuff.
4. Be aware that Blackmoor is a sandbox setting - you are supposed to fill the gaps on your own.
5. Furthermore, if you look for stuff to run by other publishers, check either material from the company called Judges Guild,
or for the old MERP system - you will have to adapt them here and there, but overall they should blend in nicely.



A similar answer from you, Sirs!

[aldarron]

Really, what we need are timelines with footnotes. After all, at this point it's a scholarly activity and not just some guy doing a timeline for a homebrewed campaign.

Ross already made a timeline with footnotes. I was actually shocked when I first saw that, as very few fan works are so meticulous. Aldarron may criticize said timeline, but other than a few minor nitpicks, I see no reason to discard it as it stands.

Ross footnotes are a chief source of dissapointent for me in that they only cover about 1/4 to 1/3 of what he has listed, include a mystery source who may or may not have played with Arneson, and draw on Aardy De Varques very inaccurate "history" of D&D. So, Fin, if you look at the timeline I have posted on the boards here you will see I placed the references directly in the text to make it easy and provided a reference for every single listing so there would be no "where the heck did that come from?" for anyone who is interested.

I am not even sure something like that would solve anything, since the disagreements are more about which sources to include than its actual contents.

I'm not enough of a Blackmoor scholar to be able to pick up on some of the minutia errors and for me it would require a lot of reading just to get "up to speed" (even if my memory was strong enough for me to retain all of the data) so maybe that helps to explain why I lilke the older stuff better. Less to know!

To be honest, there is no need for anyone to know all this. A 3E DM would be equally happy to just pick up the 3E DAB CS and learn what's found within it. Why would be bother about whether Robert I was named after Rob Kuntz? These are academic discussions that can be interesting, but I am also worried that they could drive people away from participating on these boards.

-Havard

Yep, completely agreed. Prolly most gamers won't need a timeline at all or can make up their own or will cherry pick to suit. Blackmoor is definetly a play it as you like it setting.

[New Blackmoor DM]

GNOMES!

So I didn't notice them at first (mostly because I was looking through the 4E stuff). Blackmoor gnomes are "Tinker Gnomes" ? That sound right?

Also, to go along with this question, it appears that Dwarves are also tinkerers and steam engineers. I noticed that dwarves right away "being into science". So Dwarves are also "Tinker Gnomes"? Which of the two races are more successful at this stuff? Are all dwarves into science or just some of them? Sounds like gnomes are pretty deep into it.

Thanks.

[Rafael]

Tinker gnomes like in Dragonlance, no.

Think more in terms of Wilderlands gnomes, ifyaknowwhatimean. Hobbits without the hairy feet, so to speak.

Also useful for this could be the way the "Kingdoms of Kalamar" setting treats gnomes.
If I wanted to insert gnomes into my campaign, I would use that model, I think.

[Havard]

GNOMES!

So I didn't notice them at first (mostly because I was looking through the 4E stuff). Blackmoor gnomes are "Tinker Gnomes" ? That sound right?

Also, to go along with this question, it appears that Dwarves are also tinkerers and steam engineers. I noticed that dwarves right away "being into science". So Dwarves are also "Tinker Gnomes"? Which of the two races are more successful at this stuff? Are all dwarves into science or just some of them? Sounds like gnomes are pretty deep into it.

Good question. Although there were gnomes in Arneson's campaign, there arent many references about them from those days. The main sources are the 3E line; mainly the DAB CS and Clock & Steam. What we do know is that Gnomes are travelling folk, travelling from town to town offering their services in crafts, magic and the like. Maybe reminiscent of Gypsies. One of their specialties is clockworks. So while the Dwarves are experimenting on big machines run by steam, clock work technology and the more finely tuned instruments are the domain of Gnomes.

I'd love to find more ways to differentiate them from dwarves and from Gnomes in other settings, but this is what I have got so far.

-Havard

[aldarron]

GNOMES!

So I didn't notice them at first (mostly because I was looking through the 4E stuff). Blackmoor gnomes are "Tinker Gnomes" ? That sound right?

Also, to go along with this question, it appears that Dwarves are also tinkerers and steam engineers. I noticed that dwarves right away "being into science". So Dwarves are also "Tinker Gnomes"? Which of the two races are more successful at this stuff? Are all dwarves into science or just some of them? Sounds like gnomes are pretty deep into it.

Thanks.

Really its an "up to you" kind of thing. In the earlier material it was the elves who were the engineers/tinkerers. Dwarves were all seemingly the Tolkien sort and gnomes were barely mentioned.

The 3e/4e stuff switches that along the lines you mention. Personally, I see the tech stuff as being in the realm of a few, somewhat eccentric types, regardless of race per se, at least untill Uther comes around and starts to actually fund and encourage tech research. Havards dwarf timeline has a some basic info on dwarf/gnome inventions.

[aldarron]

I'd love to find more ways to differentiate them from dwarves and from Gnomes in other settings, but this is what I have got so far.

-Havard

Here's an interesting thought from OD&D - the Gnoll is a cross between a Gnome and a troll.

What does that say about gnomes!?

[New Blackmoor DM]

Thanks for the information guys. That clears up a lot.

My new problem is one of my players just had his work schedule switched. Ugh. At least I did manage to finish up the Dark Sun campaign I was running last weekend he was in. We have lots of players in my neck of the woods but hard to get them pinned down to games still. I am going to keep reading on Blackmoor materials but I think this is going to delay my campaign. Some of us in the game group actually play every weekend. But some of the players are only interested in twice a month. So it is a shuffling game to be certain. I am sure I will have more Blackmoor questions however. Hopefully I can get the campaign going.

[Havard]

Let us know how it goes!

-Havard