Greetings from a LONGtime lover of Blackmoor!

[Bugscuttle]

Hi Folks!
My name is Joe, friends call me ash. I have actually been playing and DMing since 1978. I loved the game since the first day I rolled my first d20. I will forever be grateful to Mr. Arneson for his creation. I was even active in the game until a few years ago, when marriages and moves dispersed my players to the Four Winds.
Blackmoor was always the most mysterious place on the map to me. I was always on the lookout for modules, and never found any (until my first GenCons), as our gaming stores sucked back in the day. So I created a lot of homemade campaigns, and most of them included Blackmorian areas...It's been wonderful to find this website as a resource, even if I don't have any players atm. *snif*
In the 90's I worked in and later was a partner in a gameshop, which was a (unprofitable) dream-come-true, but I am a cook and restaurant manager by trade. I am also an organic gardener, (have a tiny medicinal/ritual/culinary Herb business) tree-hugger, non-Wiccan Pagan, friend of Bill W. and of Dorothy! There, now you know all about me. I hope to get to know some of you, too.

[Havard]

Hi Buscuttle! Welcome to the Comeback Inn!

Or should I say, welcome home? We are a small and closely knit community here, so hope you enjoy your stay with us

Do you have any Blackmoor stories you want to share with us?

-Havard

[Yaztromo]

Hello!
Somehow my history is similar to yours (although I guess I'm sligntly younger than you, as I started playing in the eighties 8) ): career moves and job/family responsabilities made for me impossible to keep playing and mastering, however, I recently discovered (in this site) the "play by post" option, that allows you to play with a more relaxed pace, that can fit with busy lifestyles and frequent international relocations.
Enjoy!

[Rafael]

Hehe. I know you, man. As in, online.

Welcome! Wondered when you would find your way here!

[RobJN]

Welcome aboard!

Hope you'll share more about the unfolding of events in your Blackmoor.

I feel your pain about the loss of a face-to-face group, but I'm having a blast running a play-by-post here on the forums.

[Rafael]

I am going to be blunt, and perhaps running the danger of being a recluse, but:

A modern, adult man with a regular gaming group that meets more than say, once or twice a month, I find fairly bewildering.

Weekly gaming, like pot, metalcore, and cheerleader girlfriends, is for college.


...Which is why I appreciate the games we do here so much; otherwise, I'd certainly not be in touch with my inner She-Elf Paladin any more.

[Bugscuttle]

Wow! What a nice welcome! I admit to having been a lurker for a while, looking at all the juicy articles and interviews; I can lurk no longer!

Some of the posts here are quite scholarly, and there is just so much canon I am unfamiliar with! Among gamers in this neck of the woods, I was THE Greyhawk Man...but wow! There's so much I DON'T know! I'm almost intimidated at my lack of knowledge.

As for Blackmoor, there's only been the old D&D products, some old online resources (which I can't find online anymore) and Mr. Arneson's base campaign setting book I got a few years ago that were my references. I was never a fan of the Cyclopedia or Basic D&D when it was new, so I guess I missed a lot of info.

But over the years Blackmoor was that seat of ancient mystery in my campaigns. I held it out to my players as the "end of the rainbow". It was a dangerous, unOerthly place of ruins and buried and lost knowledge with the hint of portlas, gatesdaemons, devils and gods somewhere in its wilds. A place best approached by the powerful and experienced adventurer...Which backfired on me, ultimately.

It only rarely occured that my players finally would have the wealth, experience and time to make an expedition to Blackmoor. When that did happen, however, the results were some legendary gaming sessions! But that's for another time.


So thank you all for the nice welcome! I hope to be an active part of this community!

[Havard]

Wow! What a nice welcome! I admit to having been a lurker for a while, looking at all the juicy articles and interviews; I can lurk no longer!

Excellent!

Some of the posts here are quite scholarly, and there is just so much canon I am unfamiliar with! Among gamers in this neck of the woods, I was THE Greyhawk Man...but wow! There's so much I DON'T know! I'm almost intimidated at my lack of knowledge.

Guilty as charged there. I sometimes worry that I get too geeky about my discussions here, trying to tie in every little tidbit from various obscure sources. OTOH, that is the sort of thing I enjoy to do. But if we can find a balance where I get to talk about the obscure stuff I like to talk about, while at the same time don't scare away other posters that would be the ideal

As for Blackmoor, there's only been the old D&D products, some old online resources (which I can't find online anymore) and Mr. Arneson's base campaign setting book I got a few years ago that were my references. I was never a fan of the Cyclopedia or Basic D&D when it was new, so I guess I missed a lot of info.

If you are looking for downloadable material, make sure you have checked out the Downloads Page in the Blackmoor Archives.

But over the years Blackmoor was that seat of ancient mystery in my campaigns. I held it out to my players as the "end of the rainbow". It was a dangerous, unOerthly place of ruins and buried and lost knowledge with the hint of portlas, gatesdaemons, devils and gods somewhere in its wilds. A place best approached by the powerful and experienced adventurer...Which backfired on me, ultimately.

I like this idea of Blackmoor as this mysterious place. Coming from the Mystara side of things, Blackmoor was equally mysterious because it was also lost in time.

It only rarely occured that my players finally would have the wealth, experience and time to make an expedition to Blackmoor. When that did happen, however, the results were some legendary gaming sessions! But that's for another time.

Would love to hear more about this. Please share!

-Havard

[RobJN]

I am going to be blunt, and perhaps running the danger of being a recluse, but:

A modern, adult man with a regular gaming group that meets more than say, once or twice a month, I find fairly bewildering.

Weekly gaming, like pot, metalcore, and cheerleader girlfriends, is for college.


...Which is why I appreciate the games we do here so much; otherwise, I'd certainly not be in touch with my inner She-Elf Paladin any more.

I thought only the she-elf cheerleaders let you get in touch with them that way.....

[Bugscuttle]

I've spent some time this week getting caught up on Canonfire - esp. the Oerth Journals I've missed. I am SO itching to DM again, it's driving me crazy! I have posted in RPGFinder, etc. but the pickin's are slim in this neck of the woods...

Havard -I really do appreciate the detail! I'm glad there are folks that take the time and effort to do this work for folks like me!

I don't know where to begin speaking of my many years of running Greyhawk - the Blackmoor days were far fewer, as I mentioned. I think the most memorable day was when the party finally made it to Blackmoor Town, only to find it in ruins, and seemingly abandoned. I really drew this out to the point that the rogue was inching forward, checking everywhere for traps, the mage and priest were flinging divination spells all over (to no effect) and the fighters (hell, all of them!) were JUMPING at every shadow.

Finally, the Egg's Automata started to emerge from every corner, and the party got to learn just how dangerous a little sci-fi could be in D&D...(evil chuckle...) That was the day all the henchmen, a Panther familiar, a Lynx companion, and an NPC healer died horrible, crispy deaths...sigh...I do so miss it...


By the way - are any of the games on this site open to new players?