Towns and flavour

[Havard]

The Lankhmar/Maus thread made me think about other towns on the Blackmoor map. How do you see the different towns, cities and villages? Would you compare them to towns from fiction, films or non-Blackmoor RPG material?

To start off:

Maus
Even if Rafe disagrees, I see this one as similar to Lankhmar, with Cthulhu-esque undertones.

Robinsport
This pirate city is similar to Freeport in many ways. I dont see it having Serpent-Men, but there are aligator-folk living not too far away.

Starport
A decadent Conan-esque/Gor-esque place of prostitution, drugs, astrologists, fortunetellers, slaves etc.

Blackmoor Town
Still looking for a good comparison here. Maybe Camelot, if Arthur's Castle had been dark and gothic.

Ringlo Hall
Home of the Redwood Elves. I see this place as similar to Rivendell.

Booh
Like the Shire/hobbiton, but with a huge friendly-looking tower in the middle of town.

Vestfold
Minas Tirith would be too big, but I see Vestfold as the most impressive looking city in the North, including some fairly grandouse buildings constructed there.

Coot's Nest
R'lyeh.

Those were all I can think of to start with. Which RPG cities and towns to we have available worth stealing from?

-Havard

[aldarron]

Generally, looks good to me.

Couple thoughts -

I think its a mistake to always be looking to fantasy literature.

In particular, Port Dacoit was prolly inspired by Port Royal Jamaica or similar "pirate city" places in the carribean. Blackmoor town certainly has scottish roots (probably generic) but Bleakwood is supposed to be based on "Bannchock" (typo for Bannock?) Scotland.

Maus seems a bit like an echo of Hamburg during Hanseatic times, and also not unlike the italian merchant city states. Could well be echoes of port Kar in there too.

Some places were prolly more or less original too.

[Havard]

Generally, looks good to me.

Cool! There are many more towns to choose from, so ideally we can go through them all.

Couple thoughts -

I think its a mistake to always be looking to fantasy literature.

In particular, Port Dacoit was prolly inspired by Port Royal Jamaica or similar "pirate city" places in the carribean. Blackmoor town certainly has scottish roots (probably generic) but Bleakwood is supposed to be based on "Bannchock" (typo for Bannock?) Scotland.

Excellent input!
Edinburgh may actually provide some great inspiration for Blackmoor, including Edinburgh Castle.

Maus seems a bit like an echo of Hamburg during Hanseatic times, and also not unlike the italian merchant city states. Could well be echoes of port Kar in there too.

I like the idea of comparing the easternmost harbor cities with Hanseatic towns.

Some places were prolly more or less original too.

Yes. I cannot stress enough that this thread is not about finding the one true version of each town, but rather comparisons that we can draw inspiration from for our campaigns to better visualize each town. As you say, this need not be limited to fictional places. RW locations can work just as well. Many places may end up being described as a mix of A and B, rather than a blueprint copy of one location.

-Havard

[Rafael]

Even if Rafe disagrees

[Rafael]

Maus
Sanctuary, from Thieves World.

Starmorgan
Narshe, from Final Fantasy VI.

Braunstein
Navarre, from Seiken Densetsu III.

Blackmoor Town
Baron, from Final Fantasy IV.

Ringlo Hall
Lothlorien, of course.

Booh
Kenderhome, from Dragonlance.

Vestfold
Varfleet, from the Shannara novels.

Ohmfet
Tristram, from Diablo.

[Rafael]

I hope you see what I did there.

[Havard]

Maus
Sanctuary, from Thieves World.

Thieves World is worth looking into I think. Sadly I know very little about it.

Ringlo Hall
Lothlorien, of course.

Certainly. Although I tend to compare it more to Rivendell, because Ringlo Hall is more open to humans, like Elrond's Hall.

Booh
Kenderhome, from Dragonlance.

Blackmoorian Hobbits are very different from Kender IMO. Other than that I know very little about Kendermoore.


I'd comment more, but I have never played any of the computer games you mention.

-Havard

[Rafael]

hock: You have not played DIABLO???

[Havard]

hock: You have not played DIABLO???

Just the first one. Is that the one with Tristram?

-Havard

[Rafael]

Yepp, the first one, or, as I call it, the entire years 1997 and 1998.

Then I bought Ultima 8. 8)