Fred Weining's Archbarony of Blackmoor

[Havard]

Frederick Weining seems to have been one of the people who have done the most for Greyhawk's Blackmoor. His Archbarony of Blackmoor shares many traits with how Arneson described Blackmoor in the First Fantasy Campaign. However, Weining does not take into account the information from the DA modules. Perhaps he considered that too closely tied to the Mystara setting, or he didnt have access to those modules? The First Fantasy Campaign describes how Blackmoor Town is occupied by the Egg of Coot. However, it was later freed by the elves and rebuilt under King Uther. This does not happen in the Greyhawk version it seems:

by Frederick Weining

From the Oerth Journal Vol.1 #5 January 20, 1997; the Council of Greyhawk

Far to the North, under the looming threat of the Black Ice, abides a country of legend. Between the stark expanse of the Icy Sea and the silent, towering evergreens of the Burneal Forest, this land overlooks and finally joins the Cold Marshes in a confluence of clinging mist and superstition. Here, on the very edge of the world, lies Blackmoor.

Once the furthest province of the Great Kingdom, this distant Archbarony somehow endured the centuries that saw Aerdy’s rise and fall. Now the Archbarony of Blackmoor stands alone.

Though the Wars that recently ravaged the rest of the civilized world never reached Blackmoor, it has felt after effects from those conflicts. Its modest trade with the lands to the south has been nearly abolished; a few straggling refugees from those same lands have been reluctantly accommodated by the suspicious natives; and a power that had avoided the Archbarony has finally found its malicious attention drawn to the north.

Iuz the Old has remembered the moors and their weird magic that rebukes his power. He keeps watch upon the borders of Blackmoor, but does not move against it, nor will he allow his priests to enter the land. For now the Archbarony is secure in its isolation, but the time may soon come when Blackmoor must confront the world beyond its borders.
History of the Land

At the time of the great Migrations the moors north of the Cold Marshes were inhabited by the Tuocts, a Flannish people who dwelt in stockaded villages and built hill-forts on the rocky outcroppings protruding from the marshland. Here they led a simple existence: raiding, trading, feasting and feuding amongst themselves under the watchful eye of their druids and bards. At established intervals they would band together to make war with their primeval enemy, the Egg of Coot, or to campaign for a season against their distant kin from the Quagheath.

The steady cycle of their lives was first disturbed when Suel raiders swept across the Icy Sea to pillage along the coasts before returning home to Rhizia in late summer. Within a few years these Sea Barbarians, calling themselves Zeai, had made permanent settlements north of Blackmoor on the Brink Islands and along the Tusking Strand. Even with the addition of these immigrants, little changed in the north until the first Oeridian explorers and adventurers arrived in the Northlands a generation later. For the most part these newcomers were ethnic Aerdi -- individualists, rebels, or outcasts, who sought to escape the increasingly rigid society that would emerge in only a few years as the Kingdom of Aerdy.

These Aerdi pioneers began the tradition of castle building in the lands of Blackmoor. The first, called Castle Blackmoor, was built on a low hill overlooking Blackmoor Bay. The location had been used since time immemorial by the northern clans as their hill of testing, the site of their High-seat of Judgement. Duels, whether musical, magical or martial, were conducted here under the authority of the Shalmist druids and bards. Contests were most often held within the ancient ring of standing-stones, but at times they might extend to the caverns beneath the hill where legend said the Ur-Flan sorcerers had enslaved fiends and powerful elementals. The first Castle Blackmoor was built over these ruins, and Oeridian lords ruled here even as the Kingdom of Aerdy saw foundation in the south. A village quickly grew up around this first castle, and soon other fortifications and settlements were built in the region.

Thus began an era of prosperity unlike any previously known in the North. New immigrants, dwarves, halflings and a few high-elves among them, bolstered the existing populace, adding their influence to the emerging culture of Blackmoor. Though they arrived on the trail of the Oerid settlers, the immigrants soon established their own communities. At some point, an enclave of Wastrian cultists also appeared, taking up residence in the Cold Marshes, where they observed with disgust the racial cooperation fostered by the leaders of the new settlements, and labored secretly to frustrate it. Nonetheless, the many different peoples of Blackmoor managed to work together over the next century to form a rugged but vital society.

This continued until, in the decades immediately preceding the institution of the Overking, a powerful new figure rose to prominence in Blackmoor: Ranial the Gaunt, Lord of Dantredun, Scion of Tenh and enemy of Great Kingdom. He unified the Blackmoor territory in opposition to the Aerdi aggressors from the south and through magic he created the Crown of Blackmoor, and claimed sovereignty over the land and its people. He defied the might of Aerdy for several years, until his eventual defeat at the Battle of Toadwash. As his withered form sank into the marsh, the Great Kingdom's army advanced on Castle Blackmoor, where they received the submission of the ruling baron. The march of Aerdy conquest had at last reached even this distant land. Blackmoor was first made a province of the Great Kingdom, and at the crowning of the first Overking saw its establishment as an Archbarony in the writ of Imperial Aerdy. Most of the Oeridian barons swiftly pledged loyalty to the Great Kingdom, but a majority of the Tuocts rejected Aerdy rule and withdrew into the Gloomfens and the Cold Marshes. Their lands were divided by the Archbaron, and they were left to rot in the bogs. Wastri gained many new followers in this manner, and his evil took deep root in the hearts of these impoverished natives.

For the next two centuries Blackmoor was ruled as an hereditary Archbarony within the Great Kingdom. When the Viceroyalty of Ferrond formed in early years of the second century CY, however, Blackmoor was excluded due to cartographical error. Though the mistake was discovered prior to the investment of the Viceroy, it was concealed to avoid any delay in the elaborate ceremonies already prepared. Blackmoor's first shift toward independence was thus a matter of bureaucratic incompetence. The second step was taken at the end of the third century CY, after Perrenland, Furyondy and Tenh had seceded from the Great Kingdom. Though no formal declaration was made, the Archbarony ceased to provide its symbolic tribute to the Overking. The matter was scarcely acknowledged in Rauxes. The final element completing separation from the Great Kingdom arrived on horseback in the early fourth century CY, when Nomad bands from central Oerik invaded the Flanaess and established themselves in the steppe-lands south of the Burneal Forest. For the next generation the trade routes to the Northern Reaches of Furyondy were effectively cut off by the unsettled hordes.

During this tumultuous period the Crown of Blackmoor was reclaimed by the evil sorcerer Engren Erris, who became known as the Lich of Glendour. The humanoid inhabitants of Blackmoor flourished during his reign, and the human population turned markedly evil. He soon made war against the legitimate sovereign and while his forces besieged Castle Blackmoor, Wastrian cultists emerged from the marshes, driving their Quaggoth slaves to a killing frenzy against the demi-humans of Blackmoor. These bands massacred dwarves, elves and halflings in the villages and hunted them through the countryside.

Yet a few brave souls resisted and fought against the multitude of evils that assailed Blackmoor from within. Among these rebels was found a leader who unified the resistance. She was Rua Morgaiste, the last living heir to the Archbaron of Blackmoor. She collected allies from the neighboring territories to aid in her fight; she made truce with the Wolf Nomads, and even added some of their warrior bands to her army; she gathered free companies from throughout the North; and led them all to victory over the wizard-usurper.

Morgaiste thus became the first ruling Archbaroness, and led Blackmoor for another six and a half decades. During her long reign the Archbarony became one of the greatest countries in the North, with much influence in the surrounding lands. Toward the end of her regime she even helped the peoples of the Quagheath and the Yatils form the nation of Perrenland.

Though she had ruled long and wisely, she left no heir upon her death, and the succession was again open to challenge. According to her wishes, her council was to decide the matter and rule the land in the interim. Many claimants presented themselves to the Baronial Council as candidates for the high office, including one sponsored by the Egg of Coot, but the Council chose Fadden of Dantrefaer.

He was confirmed as Archbaron after first being named Lord Conciliator of Blackmoor Castle, for the governing authority was retained by the Baronial Council. The Archbaron was to serve as a figurehead, though in return he received a generous stipend and a voice in the Council.

The reigns of four Archbarons passed in this way before the fifth and last Lord Conciliator of Blackmoor Castle, Pernold, lost his life in battle defending Blackmoor Town from the Egg of Coot's invading army. The Egg's forces sacked the town and razed the castle, but most of the Baronial Council retreated to the famous magical tavern of Blackmoor, the Comeback Inn, and sealed themselves inside. Though the magical defenses of the Inn could not be breached by the Egg, neither could the Council escape their confinement. It is possible that they still wait for rescue from without.

The Archbaron's wife was more fortunate. She and some few of her staff and servants fled the town before it was captured, and passed through the dangerous fens with the assistance of the uncanny Tuoctish sorcerer, Tintyvo. This company arrived in Dantredun late the following spring, in time for the Archbaroness to give birth to Pernold's only child, named Bestmo. Though Bestmo's prospects would at first have seemed slight with the loss of his father's castle, he was fortunate enough to be adopted as heir by the lord of Dantredun -- though the baron of Dantredun passed away soon thereafter.
The Archbarony Today

For the past 25 years, Bestmo has ruled Blackmoor from Dantredun, and without the assistance of the Baronial Council established by Morgaiste. Though the Egg of Coot remains his sworn enemy, the Archbaron has not yet made any definitive effort to recapture the town of Blackmoor. Yet he is ever diligent in his preparations; taxes are high and laws are harsh, so the Bastard of Blackmoor will have the might to defeat his foe when the time is right.

The Archbarony of Blackmoor is one of the few lands in the central Flanaess largely unharmed by the Greyhawk Wars. Its peoples have little contact with the outside world, for the outside world sees the Archbarony as having little to offer in return for the dangerous journey required to reach it. A few refugees from the Bandit Kingdoms and from Tenh have brought a slight increase to Blackmoor's population in recent years. Most of these dwell in Dantredun or Glendour, though some have made their own settlements and holds within the Archbarony. Ironically then, the Wars that decimated so much of Greyhawk's world have provided a minor boon for Blackmoor, which had not seen castle building for centuries before the turmoil of recent years.
Races and Regions

Blackmoor's society has remained stable over the last few decades. The oeridianized Baronials have been culturally and economically dominant, and while the Flannish tribesmen of the fens have adopted some of the trappings of Oerid culture, they remain largely untamed. Most speak Common in addition to their own Flan dialect, as well as the occasional humanoid tongue. Some of the more imposing clan keeps are built on the Aerdy model, but the warfare of the fens is different from that of the Imperial heritage. Armor is seldom worn, and most engage in combat carrying only a shield. Favored weapons are sling, javelin and spear. Those with enough wealth usually possess a sword, and each clan has one special sword that serves as the traditional symbol of the clan laird's authority.

Two other human ethnic groups inhabit the fringes of Blackmoor. The first are the Zeai, or Sea Barbarians. A Suel folk, the Zeai dwell mostly on the Brink Islands to the north of Blackmoor, or in small holds built on the rocky shores of Tusking Strand. They also have one permanent village of their own within the Archbarony, called Tonnsborg. The land of the Brinks is quite poor, so most sustenance is garnered by hunting, fishing or whaling. The Zeai seldom raid as they did in previous centuries, and many of them speak Common as a second language. Axe and sword are their favored arms, and those who can afford it wear chain-mail in battle, along with the round shield common to all the Barbarian Suel.

The other race of humans in Blackmoor is a group of primitives found in the region of the Black Ice. It is unknown if they have any name for themselves, but their few neighbors call them Skurtha, a word in the Cold Tongue meaning backwards. Wearing only skins, they dwell in rude tents or caverns at the edge of the Ice. They make no use of fire, or of metal, and greatly fear those who bear either. It is remarkable that they can survive in this frozen land, yet they have lived here for untold centuries while other inhabitants have either fled or died. Legends say that their shamans have a special relationship to the Black Ice, and find provision there for the tribe. Whatever their secrets, the very fact that they still endure is a testament to human resilience.

The humanoids of Blackmoor are tolerated by most of the other inhabitants of the land. They serve as mercenaries for most of the underbaronies, and have scattered settlements of their own as well. The wild bog-gnolls are an exception to this tolerance, for they are the enemy of all other races. Their savagery is without peer among the humanoids of Blackmoor, but since they are seldom encountered outside the fens, few but the native tribesmen or unfortunate travelers are forced to confront them.

Most feared of all, however, are the True Trolls. These nearly mythical creatures are a magical race created by Ranial the Gaunt as his personal servants; though less than two dozen of these creatures have ever existed, they may be encountered anywhere. They are linked to his other evil legacy, the Crown of Blackmoor, and now exist only to find that heirloom which has been lost for centuries.

Demi-humans are so rare in Blackmoor as to be virtually unknown. Though they did have their own communities at one time, these were destroyed by the Wastrian pogroms of the fourth century. Those few individuals that remain to represent the demihuman races are looked on with little favor, particularly at the court of Archbaron Bestmo.

The Icy Sea is home to a variety of creatures. Fish are abundant in the cold waters. Whales are common here, and walruses are plentiful in the area of the Brinks and Tusking Strand. Other, less mundane creatures make their homes here as well. Sea-wolves are a rumor among the Zeai and other maritime travelers. Sea serpents have been encountered in the open waters, and an ancient one is native to Blackmoor Bay. This beast is a servant of the giant Stormlord, Aren Vosendar, who is said to still dwell in his castle beneath the frigid waters, grieving over the folly of men.

The marshes of the north are inhabited by humans and humanoids of differing kinds. The human Fen-folk are mostly of Flannish heritage, descendants of the first immigrants to eastern Oerik. Frequently encountered humanoids include wild gnolls, ice trolls and quaggoth. Other humanoid races are found here intermittently, including a notorious covey of greenhags, but one deserves special mention. He is called the Frost Man, and he has been reported by many different witnesses over the past five centuries. Whether there is but one Frost Man, or a whole race of the creatures, is unknown.

He is enslaved to the enigmatic race of ice toads that secrete themselves in the marshes. Perhaps this bondage is the source of his evil nature, for he loves neither men nor his alien masters. Around him is an aura of unnatural cold, and this force can be focussed and projected by the glance of his blind eye. He alone possesses the ability to communicate with both mankind and the ice toads. Native marsh dwellers consider him either a fiend or an accursed human, or perhaps both, and greet his presence as a sign of evil.

The moorlands are home to the majority of Blackmoor's inhabitants, both human and otherwise. Wolves are the most common natural predators though their seldom encountered magical relative the winter-wolf is more feared. Tigers are often encountered near the Burneal, and large cave bears can be found throughout the north. Humanoids abound; orcs, goblins, kobolds, quaggoth and gibberlings lair here, along with lesser numbers of ogres, gnolls and trolls who roam the moors. A race of large, chaotic humanoids called the Qullan is also encountered here, especially near the ruins of Blackmoor Town, which they were instrumental in destroying for the Egg of Coot.

Powers and Priesthoods

Traditionally, Blackmoor has been only nominally religious. Certain sects have always been active, but even their followers are motivated by expedience more often than devotion. To many, it seems that the gods themselves take little interest in Blackmoor. Among the deities with representative priesthoods in Blackmoor, the most powerful is Obad-hai. His is the oldest human religion here, and still the most widespread, though other, foreign faiths have also established themselves in the Archbarony. Together their priests keep the people of Blackmoor attached to such gods as will have them.

Obad-hai: This god's druids keep the rites of birth and death and fertility for the Tuoctish clans. These seers and wise men also provide tutelage in the Oerth’s mysteries to bards of the traditional colleges. They have little presence in the towns and villages of Blackmoor, preferring to wander in the wilds where they maintain a number of sacred places. Their concern is the safeguarding of the ancient Oerth magic that permeates the land. The circle of nature-priests is led by a council of elders who shun non-druids, but are represented to the other inhabitants of Blackmoor by their spokesman Ollam Hul.

Xerbo: The Zeai make sacrifices to propitiate this deity before embarking on any sea voyage, and in recompense for the sustenance they gather from the northern waters. Xerbo's priesthood is notoriously ruthless in matters concerning their god's prerogatives, and will withdraw their favor from any venture not in accord with his interests. Piracy does not disturb this god, but attempting to recover anything, or anyone, lost to the sea will offend him greatly. His only hallow within Blackmoor proper is at Tonnsborg, and the priesthood there include both clerics and druids. Chief priest Bracca is a devout man, little given to mercy or generosity, but wise in the ways of the sea.

Hextor and Hieroneous: These rival gods are both revered by Baronial nobles who desire to retain an element of their Oeridian heritage. Their priesthoods are essentially in competition for the same group of worshipers; Blackmoor's gentry, the majority of whom have only the most superficial interest in either religion. Therefore, neither priesthood is particularly influential, and their worshipers show them only cursory respect. Nonetheless, the functions of both priesthoods are utilized on occasion, so both find support within the Archbarony. Neither deity has a high-priest present in Blackmoor, though Hextor has a slightly greater number of clerical followers.

Cyndor: Cyndor's priesthood is located exclusively at Broomsage Abbey, where a famous relic called the Sepulchre of the Facets is maintained. Since the abbey is still a pilgrimage site for Cyndor's devout, the priesthood exerts a greater influence than might be expected. Cyndor's priests are highly respected as diviners even outside their faith, but their services cannot be purchased. The Abbot Metolucius oversees the devotions of the clerical and lay worshipers at his church, insuring that all proceed according to the measure of perfection.

St. Carmichel: St. Carmichel of the Conflagration is venerated in the northern countries of the Flanaess, mostly among the common people who respond to his message of self-sacrifice, vigilance and impending judgement. His church is on good terms with that of St. Cuthbert, as well as with Tritherion. Among other known deities, he is said to have a special affection for "bright bonnie Joramy".

The high-priest of the Carmichelite church in Blackmoor is Hamish Lanark, whose ministry takes him across the whole of the Archbarony in service of the strident St. Carmichel.

Wastri: This sect has a number of lay members in Blackmoor, though there is no organized priesthood. Followers of the Hopping Prophet still gather in the swamps where he once reigned, in preparation for the day of his return. Occasionally, itinerant priests do make an appearance in the north, as if to reconnoiter the land for their god. They will stir the faithful to acts of malice against recalcitrant neighbors or family members. They also encourage the donation of any treasures obtained from these unfortunates to the cause of Wastri's return. This hope will never be fulfilled, but the vehemence with which his followers pursue this goal is only to be credited to their own self-deception, a fitting homage to their distant master.

Iuz: While many deities neglect Blackmoor, the Spurned Cult of Iuz is notable for its own self-enforced absence. It may seem strange that Iuz allows none of his priests to enter Blackmoor, for his ambitions compel him to dominate every other land within his reach. Yet it is this very proximity that demands the Old One's particular concern. The demi-god Iuz is powerful on Oerth, but that power is fragile compared to the ancient Oerth magic, and the unique expression of that magic which pervades the northern moors. Iuz found his own powers turned against him by the land itself when he ventured there in the days preceding his imprisonment, as had Wastri before him, and this weakening assisted in his confinement. Until he gains enough knowledge and power to overcome the Oerth magic, he must continue to shun Blackmoor. But Iuz will not forget in the day of his triumph, the land that shamed him.

Locations and Settlements



The Village of Dantredun

This village serves as the capital of the Archbarony, as it has throughout the reign of Archbaron Bestmo. He presides over a strange sort of court in exile, nominally claiming Blackmoor Town as his official seat of government, while making no clear effort to reclaim it from the Egg of Coot. Among his retinue are found very few of Blackmoor's gentry -- understandably, since close association with the Archbaron has often led to misfortune. The Archbaron's personal troops are a mixed contingent of orcs, half-orcs and humans, who comprise nearly half of Dantredun's 700 or so inhabitants. Most of the rest of the village's population are also in service to Bestmo in one form or another -- or at least in debt, for the Archbaron is just as ruthless in commerce as he is in politics. The Archbaron also entertains an uncertain number of "guests", perhaps more accurately referred to as hostages. Some of these are the kin of prominent citizens, while others are simply visitors to the Archbarony who were unlucky enough to attract his interest.

Bestmo has displaced Dantredun's former ruling house and assumed possession of their family estate, still called Ranial's Manse after the infamous lich-lord Ranial the Gaunt. Ranial was an early ruler of Dantredun, descended of a noble clan who had relocated to Blackmoor from Tenh in the wake of Aerdy expansion. They settled here by the eaves of the Burneal Forest in 468 O.R. (-176 CY), and built one of the first independent frontier baronies in the north; colloquially, this territory was known as the "Duchy of Tin", for the poverty of these expatriate Tenhas quite overmatched their pretensions to grandeur. A little more than 150 years later, Ranial lead the last resistance to Aerdy rule in the North. His defeat at the Battle of Toadwash gave the Aerdi control of the entire region, disturbed only sporadically by marsh-dwelling tribesmen.

Though ultimately conquered, Dantredun has retained a certain attitude of independence from the rest of Blackmoor. Explorers and adventurers traveling into the region all make Dantredun their first (and sometimes only) stop, and this has provided the village more familiarity with foreign peoples and customs. This, together with its location, has made it the hub of trade between Blackmoor and the other nations of the Flanaess. At one time, trade was conducted with Perrenland, the Highfolk, the Bandit Kingdoms and even Tenh. There was also some commerce with the old Horned Society, until the reappearance of Iuz made this untenable. Though much diminished in recent years, some small merchant trains still travel hence from Dantredun. These traffickers skirt the Cold Marshes until they reach Eru-Tovar, and from there they journey across the steppes with Wolf Nomad guards until they make their arrival in Perrenland. Their most valuable commodities are the rare and peculiar Blackmoorish "antiquities", including the highly prized Death Eggs.

The village has suffered more than its share of difficulties due to its location. It's proximity to the Burneal makes it a frequent target of the forest kobolds, whose night raids against the outlying dwellings prove costly in livestock. Dangerous creatures also wander out from the Cold Marshes, though in this instance Bestmo has taken an uncharacteristically active role in searching for the source of these threats. He has made a number of forays into the marshes in quest of the legendary Temple of the Toad. It is by no means clear whether the Temple is active, or even if it still exists. It is only known that Bestmo seems eager to find it, leading to speculation that he is actually a Wastrian sympathizer. Whatever his interest, it can be certain that the Bastard of Blackmoor favors anything that can be turned to his own advantage.

The Village of Glendour

The only village of substantial size in the Gloomfens, a region still dominated by the indigenous clans, Glendour is unique in that its predominantly Flan culture was blended with that of the Oerid settlers early in the history of the Archbarony. This was the first native settlement to use the Oeridian methods of warfare and commerce, and just as importantly to adopt the use of Common as their primary tongue. At the same time, they have maintained their own traditions, especially those of the Old Faith. Yet while the authority of the druids is strong here, they are seldom present to enforce it; rather, their bardic disciples attend to the affairs of Glendour.

Foremost of these is Geand CulMeare, the master of the Rhymer's Asylum, as the school of bards is known. With the demise of Geoff, this school is perhaps the last in the Flanaess to remain faithful to the Colleges of the Old Lore. Bards of the Old Lore are not simply wandering players, but men respected for their learning and insight, whose words are received as inspired. Tutored by druids in magic, and schooled in the laws and histories of their people, these bards act as judges in matters of local custom. No wise chieftain rules without their counsel, nor makes war or peace without their incitement to success.

The loss of bardic favor is a more serious matter than might first be reckoned. When the Lich of Glendour ruled here for more than three decades in the fourth century CY, the legitimate master of the Rhymer's Asylum was forcibly deposed. He was replaced by a devotee of evil who perverted the Old Lore, and permitted instruction only in the ballads of grief and despair. No reels, nor jigs, nor any songs of hope were heard in Glendour for a generation. Yet in the end this black bard was brought low by his key rival, who cursed him by performing a powerful satire. The ill luck accompanying this satire soon assailed his undead sovereign as well, when Morgaiste of Blackmoor defeated his humanoid troops with her company and allies. She hewed him in halves with her own blade; thus ending his reign and restoring the village to its rightful leaders. Though it has remained the chief village of the fen-folk, it has never again risen to the level of prominence that it held under the Lich of Glendour.

Dearthkettle Keep

This ageworn tower is home to a covey of greenhags. Their evil presence is strangely tolerated by the local Tuoctish tribes with whom they have a centuries old relationship. Though the fen-folk keep themselves at a distance from the Widows of Dearthkettle, they are not seen as enemies. The hags play the role of wise women and seers, even acting as healers at times, though their skills are more often utilized in the service of personal and clan vendettas. Yet it is acknowledged that the more often one deals with these witches, the higher the price they demand. Still, they generally seem benign, or nearly so, but woe betide any who transgress the obscure rules of their hospitality -- especially unknowing strangers who fall into their clutches, or healthy men when the ladies go "a-husbanding".

The Keep itself is built over a natural geyser, and is always surrounded by heavy fogs. The legendary magic of Blackmoor's hotsprings must be present, for members of the druidic hierarchy are seen to sometimes pay their respects here. The druids view the hags as an inherent part of nature, notwithstanding their evil, and are concerned only that they prey not too heavily upon the natives. These hideous creatures hold sway over all of the many will o'wisps native to the Blackmoor territory. Though utterly chaotic in their evil, the wisps are completely subservient to the hags, spying for them throughout Blackmoor. It is said that no word spoken in forest, fen or moor is safe from the whispering of wisps into the ears of the Widows of Dearthkettle.

Broomsage Abbey

Broomsage Abbey, named for the Cyndorian monastery around which it was built, is a village of precisely 360 residents. They are called the Numbered, and all of them are under the authority of the presiding abbot. Their lives are ordered by the devotional requirements of their faith, and while the majority of them are merely lay members of the religion, their presence is still vital to the continuity of the religious community. Each such resident of Broomsage Abbey serves in an established role, and the clergy direct their daily efforts as humble craftsmen or laborers to complement the rites of worship. Outside the village proper are the habitations of their families, and any others who are counted among the excess population. The lodgings for pilgrims and other travelers are found here as well.

The resident priesthood comprises the Order of the Chroniclers, which was founded by Calen the Chronicler in 433 O.R. (-212 CY). These priestly sages are said to observe and record events on the whole of Oerth despite their isolated vantage in Blackmoor. In this pursuit they are aided by Calen's relic, the Sepulchre of the Facets. Through its use the Abbot is able to discern the will of Cyndor. It also plays a central role in the initiation rites of the order. It is oddly noted, however, that the blessing of the founding patriarch Calen is invoked during these rites by use of the mystical name Khoronus.

The only interaction most outsiders have with the abbey is during the Festival of Forever, when the clergy make themselves available as sages and seers. At these assemblies, those who dare may entreat the priests for knowledge of their futures. Many still make the difficult pilgrimage to Blackmoor for this opportunity, or for other knowledge that the priests may hold. Certain participants are seen to lose all interest in their previous lives, and thereafter join the ranks of Cyndorian worshipers working at the abbey.

Ramshorn Castle

This ruined fortification has recently been claimed by a mixed group of immigrants, exiles from the Bandit Kingdoms, who joined with a few escaping Tehnas to cross the Northern Barrens. These old enemies found common cause in the desperate days following the conquest of Tenh and submission of the Bandit Kingdoms. Together they fled the chaos and destruction they encountered on both sides of the Zumker river. Lead by the wily illusionist Teuod Fent, expatriate Tenha and onetime Plar of Rookroost, nearly 300 men and women managed to reach Blackmoor beneath Fent's magical "Ramshorn Standard".

Fent now styles himself a baron, but his methods are those of a seasoned bandit lord. Having been driven from Rookroost several years prior to the Wars, Teuod traveled throughout the northlands as an adventurer until he took residence in this ruined castle. During his wanderings, the illusionist learned of a secret known to very few -- the existence of the Soul Husks. He still ponders how he might take advantage of this knowledge. In the meantime the Travail of Tenh has given him a new following, and he intends to rebuild this stronghold and become a major force in the north.

Mosshold & Tonnsborg

Mosshold is a small seaport of 400 inhabitants, the remnant of a once thriving town that held many times that number in the early centuries CY. In those days Mosshold was Blackmoor's largest city, trading with both the northern and eastern Suel as well as the Coltens Flan. Now many of the quays are rotted and Mosshold Castle is a near ruin. The village itself barely retains the semblance of life. It is a poorly kept secret that the resident baron Irskwyn and his kin are were-rats, as are many of the locals. It is also said that the baron's only child absconded several years ago with most of the family fortune, taking flight toward Tenh. Allegedly, he and his followers were lost in the Barren Wastes, though some claim that they managed to find refuge there.

The remaining natives are a furtive, suspicious folk who treat the rare traveler with little kindness. These villagers fish mostly, but will sometimes try to engage in piracy, though in truth there are few ships on the Icy Sea anymore. Those desperate for wealth may attempt to recover sunken treasures rumored to be located in wrecks just off the coast. This has come to the attention of the priests of Xerbo who attend these waters, and they favor retribution against Mosshold's population.

Tonnsborg sits across the waters from Mosshold, on the northern shore of Blackmoor Bay. This settlement of approximately 800 citizens was founded by the Zeai warlord Lertur Drakanskald, who led his kin from the Tusking Strand to Blackmoor in the mid second century CY. These Suel Barbarians quickly adapted to prevailing culture, and worked to foster trade between Zeai and Blackmoorish. Initially this trade dealt mostly in the recovery of riches stolen by the Zeai in the previous season's raiding, but eventually the Barbarians' own wealth formed the bulk of commerce. Ivory, amber, sealskins and whale oil became their staple items.

The ruling baroness is Sifarn Von Tonnsborg. This strapping Zeai lass is the envy of many, for she is the student of Aren Vosendar, the Storm Giant of the Icy Sea. Vosendar has given Sifarn a magical sealskin which grants her the ability to transform herself in selkie-like fashion. In this manner she travels to his frigid undersea lair, where he teaches her magic she can use as a ranger, and wisdom that she needs as a ruler.

The Town of Blackmoor

The ruined town of Blackmoor was once the capital of the Archbarony, before it fell to the Egg of Coot in 541 CY. The Egg had long laid claim to Blackmoor, its castle, and most importantly the dungeons beneath, which are said to be as old as any on Oerth. Now after centuries of human occupation the site is again in ruin, as if the Egg had desired only to see it so. Few will risk the journey here for dangerous creatures, especially the mad Qullan warriors, are still found in these precincts. Even the humanoid servants of the Egg avoid this area, save for those who dwell in Blackmoor Dungeon itself. Most of these follow Brost Bulem, self proclaimed "King of the Northern Orcs". His bands scavenge the ruins of Blackmoor Town, though they also scrupulously avoid the Qullan.

The one structure that remains intact in the otherwise ruined town is the fabled Comeback Inn. This inn has its own unique history, for even prior to its construction the very grounds were legendary. The natives considered them to be haunted by the spirits of ancient heroes and demons who had been tested on the hill above; the druidic elders knew the place simply as the Grotto of Resurgence.

When the foundation of the Comeback Inn was laid, the building raised upon it proved to be a magical structure indeed, immune to the ravages of time. Any damage done to this building, no matter how great, was repaired in a matter of days. Its entrance was also warded, so that no one intending harm to the building or its occupants might pass over the threshold. As a strange corollary, no one within could exit the building either, unless they were assisted from without. Early in the Inn's history an organization of Doorwardens was created to provide this assistance, and each member was chosen by the Innkeeper himself. This was considered a great honor, for the Innkeeper was traditionally high in the councils of the Archbaron.

So it was here that the surviving members of the Baronial Council retreated when Blackmoor Town fell to the Egg of Coot's forces, for even his great magics could not penetrate the door, or overcome the enchantments of the Inn. Unfortunately the destruction of the town was otherwise so complete that there were none left who could assist those inside the Inn. So the Archbarony is bereft of both it's true capital and true governing Council. It is rumored that the Archbaron prefers matters thus, making him a strange ally to the Egg of Coot.

The Egg of Coot

Rising from the northern fens is a strange, dome-shaped edifice, whose ancient, verdigrised surface is formed of some unknown metal. It has but one visible entrance, a round gate on its eastern side. Through this gate pass an odd assortment of creatures serving a reclusive and unnatural master: the Egg of Coot. Most of these beings are either summoned creatures, or those he has bred or invented, such as his various strains of diseased gibberlings, several varieties of homunculi, and most recently the chaos race of Qullan. Few other than the Egg's servants have visited his palace-city beneath the great shell and lived to tell of it. Rumors bespeak an unsettling combination of mechanical and organic construction centered around the glowing Coot-idol through which the Egg issues his proclamations.

The humans and humanoids that serve him have usually been conditioned to obedience, but occasionally he will adopt an apprentice as heir apparent. Ranial the Gaunt was one of the first of these, though he quickly abandoned his master. Tales say that even Iuz, when he was but a cambion, served an apprenticeship to the Egg. It was during these lost years that the Old One fashioned such magics as the Sword of Black Ice, and began to have contact with creatures of elemental evil.

The Egg himself is a being of unknown form, but legend says that he is not of Oerth, having fled from his own world when it was smitten by some sort of fiery or radiant death. Somehow he crossed the dimensions between his world and Oerth millennia ago, influencing the history of Blackmoor until it resembles the homeland of his origin. Regardless, he has always been the enemy of Blackmoor's rulers, seeking to dominate their lands and subjects. Yet it seems he has no actual desire to rule as a sovereign, but prefers to use lands and peoples as his playthings. For the Egg has but one great passion, and that is gaming. He is fascinated by the pursuit of ephemeral victories, and in the development of arcane rules and rituals. The Egg has long made a practice of drawing unwitting "players" into his games, whether from nearby or from the far corners of the Oerth -- or even from other worlds and times.

Other Sites
The City of the Gods

This ancient city is perhaps the oldest legend of Blackmoor. Though most stories place it beyond the borders of the Archbarony, the actual location is unknown. It is said to enjoy a balmy climate, despite the harsh environment immediately outside the city walls. Those who dwell within are said to be immortal, perpetually young and gifted with extraordinary beauty. They possess arts and sciences unknown elsewhere on Oerth, yet they never travel outside this sanctuary, for they are unnatural beings who have earned the wrath of Beory. Their crime was to commit an unpardonable blasphemy: the creation of synthetic life. They have retained the semblance of life without the cycles of life, without growth or decay, and without hope of rebirth. These self-appointed Gods now find themselves imprisoned by their very existence, and the paradise of their home cannot be shared with others. The City of the Gods brings madness, disease and ultimately death to living things that linger there too long.

The Temple of the Toad

Lost in the Cold Marshes somewhere between Blackmoor and the lands of Iuz, this holy place of the demi-god Wastri has fallen into ruin. The complex was built long ago to encompass the so-called Pinnacle of the Toad which Wastri had raised from the mire with powers stolen from the City of the Gods. It is said that the Pinnacle has again sunk beneath the marsh, and is lost to Wastri unless he should risk yet another excursion to the City and seize the power to restore it. Yet rumors persist that the temple-complex itself still exists, holding other secrets of the Hopping Prophet. It is also said to serve as the gathering place many of the ice-toads found in the marshes, but it is otherwise avoided due to the inordinate number of wraiths that congregate there.
The Wizard's Wood

Situated a few miles east of the ruined town of Blackmoor, the Wizard's Wood is a nearly faded land with only a small stand of trees left to indicate where it once began. Entry is gained only at the invitation of the Woodwizard, for this is his domain. At one time a human mage, he abandoned his fleshly form for that of plant-life centuries ago when he was chosen as successor to the previous Woodwizard. According to legend, the office of Woodwizard predates the advent of druidism, and those nature priests do not attend this mystic place. The Woodwizard is in service to the Shalm, but recognizes only the diety's nonhuman incarnation. Obad-hai manifests himself here as a great and ancient treant who tends a grove of hornwood trees found at the heart of the wood. It is said that the Woodwizard can be called on to aid Blackmoor only once by each ruler during his reign. The price of his assistance is to face the Woodwizard's judgement, which ever after marks that sovereign as friend or foe to living creatures.

Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20080824043 ... kmoor.html



-Havard