[Spelljammer] Blackmoorspace

[gsvenson]

Either way, I would love to know the basic things like, if Blackmoor has one or more moons, if there are eclipses on Blackmoor (which require the moon and sun to be the correct sizes), if there are "northern lights" (which could imply something like solar wind), meteorite showers (which could tie in to things falling from the sky) any other strange things associated with space.

I vaguely remember there being two moons. There are parts of the setting that allow for meteorite showers (gods and other things falling from the sky). I don't have any recollection of northern lights or eclipses (that doesn't mean they didn't happen to others or that I have not forgotten such details after almost 40 years...).

[Big Mac]

So exactly which Blackmoor are we talking about?

Hey, Chimpman!

I'm not entirely sure myself. :lol: :?

[Rafael]

So, Wandy has won a decission victory against The Count, and I am content again....



1. While I pationately hate SJ, because I really think that was the time TSR let D&D jump the shark, I have to give that some of the modules are even mildly entertaining.

2. My main problem about SJ is that, like PS to some extend, it was designed to enhance crossover campaigns. You know, drow in Dragonlance, Pterrans in Birthright, Knights of Solamnia in Dark Sun. That would have something I for my part would neither allow IMC nor recommend for any serious fantasy game in a coherent setting.

3. AS TO BLACKMOOR...

In the Wilderlands, we have the MACRAB civilisation, which is defined as "star travellers". I always assumed that IF we have to see the BM starship etc within a bigger context, it would be within that. - Apart from that, I am afraid I cannot comment, because this touches elements of my ongoing game here. :wink: :twisted:

[aldarron]

I vaguely remember there being two moons. There are parts of the setting that allow for meteorite showers (gods and other things falling from the sky).

Now that's an interesting bit of information and contributes to my sense of the otherworldliness of the place. Cool

[Havard]

Thanks for all the comments so far guys!

There's alot to pick up on here, but I'm going to start in the middle.

So I take it we are not talking about the Blackmoor of Mystara's past here, right? Same goes for the Blackmoor of Greyhawk's past. Otherwise we would know a lot more about the sphere.

So exactly which Blackmoor are we talking about?

Chimpman! Congrats on your first post here!

Whether or not this Blackmoor is going to end up as Mystara, I think it makes sense to use Mystara's past as a basis. Another way to look at it would be that we are using the BECMI cosmology.

Here is what I'm envisioning so far:

The Solar System is at first glance quite similar to that of Earth's. 9 planetary bodies ("Moving Stars") orbit the Sun:

1. There's no "Mercury" in this solar system. Prophesies believe that another star will rise close to the sun at some point in the future.

2. "Venus". This world is still in its Cthonic Age. Lizard races have just begun to appear on this mist covered, swamp world, but it is believed that they one day will be masters of that world.

3. The World of Blackmoor. Two moons orbit this world (Thanks Greg!). One of them is inhabited by a strange race of hairless four-fingered humanoids known as lunari.

4. "Mars": This world is believed to represent Blackmoor's future. It has recently suffered a series of world spanning natural disasters, like earth quakes and volcanoes, creating a red, desert-like wasteland. The world is home to many races, incluing the Sandfolk which are also found near the Valley of Ancients on Blackmoor. Prophets claim that great Pyramids will one day be built here.

5. Damocles. This is a world of primitive savages. Some day, great inventions may lead this world to become a center of civilization, but for now those are just dreams of frightened visionaries hiding in caves.

6. "Jupiter". This huge world is composed of air and other gases. Its core is a huge gate to the Plane of Air.

7. "Saturn." Another world of Air, known for its "ring". Thousands of small asteroids circle around this world. Many of them are inhabitable.

8. "Uranus": This planet has connections with the Plane of Earth.

9. "Neptune": This planet has connections to the Plane of Water

11. Charon: This is a world of death.


We know that several races from outside the solar system have been exploring this world:

The Galactic Federation: This is the race that produced the space ship that crashed south of Blackmoor. They are resemble green-skinned humans. These are likely the same as the "Human Empire" Greg mentioned from the Star Empires game. It is possible that the Empire of Viridistan, far to the west of Blackmoor is a lost colony of this civilization.

The Avian Empire: Another link to Star Empires. This race of birdmen, perhaps resembling Aracockra? have explored the solar system before the ban was placed on the solar system. The Hawk-folk of the Wilderlands may be lost descenants of this race, as may the Nguak.

The Ursoid Empire: This race of bearmen have also explored the solar system. Are they linked to the mysterious Ursai from the Grim Winter Campaign?

Astari: This race of five fingered humanoids are of unknown origin, but are found on many planets of the solar system.

The Markrab: This evil race was once present on many worlds, but has abandoned the solar system ages ago, leaving only demon-like servants behind.

While, space travel is rare in this age, it would not be unreasonable to assume that many of these races can be found on various worlds of the solar system.


-Havard

[Havard]

OK. I've calmed down a bit now.

Heh. Glad you liked it

Great compilation of facts btw. I will only comment on some of them, but I appreciate them all!

We know there are constellations. (Pacuun has a contellation that "moves in the heavens, Pacuun walks the mortal realm".) But do we have a list of other constellations? Is it one constellation per god?

Reminds me of Dragonlance. One God per constellation doesnt seem like a bad idea to me. Maybe some of the lesser gods dont have their own constellations.

We know that "variable stars" (my term) are possible, as Pacuun's constellation gains a "sword" once a year. But are these the only stars that do this?

Weird. No idea. What would be the reason for it? Is it because some of the planets are believed to be part of the constellation?

We know there is a moon, as Thantos is also called the Dark Moon. But is there a light moon?

From Greg's input we now know there are two moons. This fits well if we want to keep it within the framework of the BECMI cosmology as well.

You also have the entire Starfall thing, in the Valley of the Ancients (with its association with the Clan of the Fallen Star) which implies that there may be similar things to "The One" in "wildspace".

There's more on this in the City of the Gods module.

I think it would be really great if the world of Blackmoor had a large weather system that looked like the holy symbol of Aeros.

Awesome idea

Havard

[gsvenson]

FYI, I played the president of the Ursoid Republic and an Ursoid adventurer in Star Empires (I always thought of them as the Hookas, I don't remember the book that came from). Scott Belfry played the Avians. Steve Rocheford played a minor human empire associated with the crashed scout ship. Richard Snider played a Feline race. I am oretty sure that Fred Funk played an amoeboid race. Dave Arneson, Dave Meggary, Bill Heaton and Bob Meyers played, too. There were three major humanoid races. Someone played icthioids (fish), too. Boy, it is hard to remember. We all had adventurer characters as well as running an empire.

[Havard]

John Snider might have some notes on it, since Blackmoor was on one of the worlds in our Star Empires campaign back in 1973. I don't know if he saved any of that sort of information.

Greg, I would be *very* interested in something like that. Are you in touch with John at all?

Havard

[Havard]

Hmm. Well, if you really really don't like Spelljammer. And don't want to just ignore this thread, and hope it goes away, I suppose I could invite The Great Svenny over to the Spelljammer forum at The Piazza and we could carry on in the [SJ] Blackmoorspace thread that Havard set up.

I wouldnt worry about Rafe

I will discuss this topic both here and there so that everything becomes more confusing

Either way, I would love to know the basic things like, if Blackmoor has one or more moons, if there are eclipses on Blackmoor (which require the moon and sun to be the correct sizes), if there are "northern lights" (which could imply something like solar wind), meteorite showers (which could tie in to things falling from the sky) any other strange things associated with space.

I don't assume there will be much official on the matter beyond what Greg has provided us with so far.

WotC started down the line of suggesting that abberations were from space (or to be more precice from other planets). This supposedly was put in to explain the weird biology.

I don't know how well this concept would fit in with Blackmoor. The only abberation in the Dave Arneson's Blackmoor paperback is a gigantic sea monster (the Naliseth). I suppose that this could be used as a springboard for a planet (or moon) where all the critters have the same sort of ichor as a Naliseth. It might even be made to fit in with the "Dark Moon" thing. So could be tied into a plot by Thanatos to wipe out the entire population of the moon with a plague. The Naliseth on the world could be ones spread there by space ships. (Mind you the Naliseth could also be natural sea monsters that were infected with a plague.)

Well, the Naliseth are believed to be spawned by the Egg of Coot. There are more abberations in Dungeons of Castle Blackmoor, but I tend to link them all to the Cthonic Age. Of course, it would not seem unlikely that the creatures who ruled during this age were from a different world.

Havard

[Chimpman]

I vaguely remember there being two moons. There are parts of the setting that allow for meteorite showers (gods and other things falling from the sky).

Now that's an interesting bit of information and contributes to my sense of the otherworldliness of the place. Cool

This might also say something very interesting about Mystara! It would mean that at some point, Patera was actually visible in the sky! How and why that changed could lead to some very exciting adventures.