Size of Blackmoor

[WingofCoot]

Probably a dumb newbie question...

OD&D vol 3 "Underworld & Wilderness Adventures" states that '“Blackmoor” is a village of small size (a one-horse town), while “Greyhawk” is a large city. Both have maps with streets and buildings indicated'.

But the descriptions in DA1 and the 4E "Dave Arneson's Blackmoor" book sound more like a city. Did it grow from a village to a city during the original Blackmoor campaign? Or was this a change in the process of turning it into a published setting?

[Havard]

Probably a dumb newbie question...

OD&D vol 3 "Underworld & Wilderness Adventures" states that '“Blackmoor” is a village of small size (a one-horse town), while “Greyhawk” is a large city. Both have maps with streets and buildings indicated'.

But the descriptions in DA1 and the 4E "Dave Arneson's Blackmoor" book sound more like a city. Did it grow from a village to a city during the original Blackmoor campaign? Or was this a change in the process of turning it into a published setting?

Hello WingofCoot!

Welcome to the Comeback Inn!

I am not sure that this is the full explanation, but I suspect that the OD&D material on Blackmoor is based closely on Dave's campaign ca 1973-74, while the DA modules take place ca 30 years later.

During much of Dave's campaign the town was under control of dark forces and suffering from various invasions. The decades following the classic campaign years dealt with the rise of Uther, Blackmoor's independence, the construction of Blackmoor University etc. I think those probably contributed to the town itself growing.

DA5 City of Blackmoor, was unfortunately never published (although a complete manuscript apparently exists). That might have given us some insight into how Arneson and Ritchie envisioned Blackmoor itself during the Uther years...

-Havard

[WingofCoot]

Welcome to the Comeback Inn!

Thank you!

I am not sure that this is the full explanation, but I suspect that the OD&D material on Blackmoor is based closely on Dave's campaign ca 1973-74, while the DA modules take place ca 30 years later.

During much of Dave's campaign the town was under control of dark forces and suffering from various invasions. The decades following the classic campaign years dealt with the rise of Uther, Blackmoor's independence, the construction of Blackmoor University etc.

Ah, OK - I didn't realize there was such a large time gap. That makes sense.

[Havard]

Ah, OK - I didn't realize there was such a large time gap. That makes sense.

Yeah, Dave actually kept running Blackmoor throughout his life. With his original group they kept meeting for a Blackmoor game at least once per year. So the setting kept evolving based on that as well as accomodating various published formats.

-Havard