<![CDATA[The Comeback Inn - News Archive]]> https://blackmoor.mystara.us/forums/ Sun, 25 Oct 2026 15:21:53 +0000 MyBB <![CDATA[Dave Arneson Game Day 2020 Preparation Thread]]> https://blackmoor.mystara.us/forums/showthread.php?tid=2875 Wed, 16 Sep 2020 15:27:59 -0600 Havard]]> https://blackmoor.mystara.us/forums/showthread.php?tid=2875 https://www.facebook.com/events/963458167469092/

Only a couple of weeks to go.

I am going to be super busy over the next few weeks, but hopefully I will have something to share.

Anyone else here want to do something for this day?

I will post more later, but just wanted to get this thread started.

-Havard]]> https://www.facebook.com/events/963458167469092/

Only a couple of weeks to go.

I am going to be super busy over the next few weeks, but hopefully I will have something to share.

Anyone else here want to do something for this day?

I will post more later, but just wanted to get this thread started.

-Havard]]> <![CDATA[[Blog] Exploring the Valley of the Ancients MMRPG style]]> https://blackmoor.mystara.us/forums/showthread.php?tid=2592 Tue, 05 Feb 2019 14:04:38 -0700 Havard]]> https://blackmoor.mystara.us/forums/showthread.php?tid=2592
Over four seasons of D&D adventures, Blackmoor the MMRPG has explored most of the plotlines ever detailed in the setting. It is not surprising that it would also have its own take on perhaps the deadliest of all of the adventure locations from Dave Arneson's campaign. I wrote about the early adventures Dave Arneson ran with the City of the Gods here.

Although hints to the City of the Gods go back to Supplement II's Temple of the Frog and the references to the Valley of the Ancients in the First Fantasy Campaign, this region was first explored in published form with DA3 City of the Gods. When Dave Arneson's company Zeitgeist Games got the lisence to do Blackmoor for Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition, they published a new version of the City of the Gods for that edition. The MMPRG also served to promote the Zeitgeist Games product line so it is not surprising that the time would eventually come for the Valley of the Ancients. This way players could bring their charaters from the MMRPG campaign into this famous adventure location. Over at the Comeback Inn, we are soon approaching the re-release of the last episodes of the MMRPG. Episode 90-L is available now as a free download.



Let me know what you think! Are you ready to see the remaining adventures of season 4 as well? Smile


Full version of this article at: https://blackmoormystara.blogspot.com/2 ... style.html

-Havard]]>
Over four seasons of D&D adventures, Blackmoor the MMRPG has explored most of the plotlines ever detailed in the setting. It is not surprising that it would also have its own take on perhaps the deadliest of all of the adventure locations from Dave Arneson's campaign. I wrote about the early adventures Dave Arneson ran with the City of the Gods here.

Although hints to the City of the Gods go back to Supplement II's Temple of the Frog and the references to the Valley of the Ancients in the First Fantasy Campaign, this region was first explored in published form with DA3 City of the Gods. When Dave Arneson's company Zeitgeist Games got the lisence to do Blackmoor for Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition, they published a new version of the City of the Gods for that edition. The MMPRG also served to promote the Zeitgeist Games product line so it is not surprising that the time would eventually come for the Valley of the Ancients. This way players could bring their charaters from the MMRPG campaign into this famous adventure location. Over at the Comeback Inn, we are soon approaching the re-release of the last episodes of the MMRPG. Episode 90-L is available now as a free download.



Let me know what you think! Are you ready to see the remaining adventures of season 4 as well? Smile


Full version of this article at: https://blackmoormystara.blogspot.com/2 ... style.html

-Havard]]> <![CDATA[Dave Arneson Game Day 2016]]> https://blackmoor.mystara.us/forums/showthread.php?tid=2190 Fri, 30 Sep 2016 15:09:47 -0600 Havard]]> https://blackmoor.mystara.us/forums/showthread.php?tid=2190
Go here for the Facebook Event.

What is Dave Arneson Game Day?
Dave Arneson Game Day is an event created to celebrate our gaming hobby held at D&D Co-creator Dave Arneson's Birthday on October 1st. It is celebrated worldwide. You can run games, post articles online or engage in anything gaming related. The event is coordinated at the Comeback Inn Blackmoor Forum. The first Dave Arneson Game Day was celebrated in 2009, one year after Dave Arneson's passing. It was arranged by Dave's friends and fellow gamers in Minnesota, USA.

Go here for Blackmoor Week 2016 and catch up on everything you have missed about the days leading up to this event.

Links to previous years' Events:
-Havard]]>
Go here for the Facebook Event.

What is Dave Arneson Game Day?
Dave Arneson Game Day is an event created to celebrate our gaming hobby held at D&D Co-creator Dave Arneson's Birthday on October 1st. It is celebrated worldwide. You can run games, post articles online or engage in anything gaming related. The event is coordinated at the Comeback Inn Blackmoor Forum. The first Dave Arneson Game Day was celebrated in 2009, one year after Dave Arneson's passing. It was arranged by Dave's friends and fellow gamers in Minnesota, USA.

Go here for Blackmoor Week 2016 and catch up on everything you have missed about the days leading up to this event.

Links to previous years' Events:
-Havard]]> <![CDATA[Blackmoor Week 2016]]> https://blackmoor.mystara.us/forums/showthread.php?tid=2180 Sun, 25 Sep 2016 07:26:23 -0600 Havard]]> https://blackmoor.mystara.us/forums/showthread.php?tid=2180 Posted at Havard's Blackmoor Blog:

[Image: 29918259865_e40d2465cb.jpg]

For many years now, fans all over the world have been celebratingDave Arneson Game Day on October 1st, Dave Arneson's birthday. Some fans have been expanding this tradition to include the week leading up to October 1st as well, referring to that whole week as Blackmoor Week.

I think this is a wonderful idea and this year I will be embracing this growing tradition. Better still, this is a world wide event so all of you can join in as well! There are many ways you can take part in Blackmoor Week and it doesn't have to be all that complicated. This is all about celebrating Dave Arneson, Blackmoor, Dungeons & Dragons and gaming in general. So, do you want to write blog or forum articles, run games, make drawings, paintings or other art or find other ways to celebrate your love for gaming, that is awesome.

But make sure you share those things with us. Post about what you are doing in the comments here, over at the Comeback Inn or any of the other associated websites. I will add links to all the websites and events here on my blog so that we can share in the fun! This week, I have some special surprises in store for you guys as well, but those will have to wait a few days.

What will you be doing for Blackmoor Week this year and where can we learn more about it?

Also, if you post about your Blackmoor Week activities online, please link back to this place so that we can all share in the fun! Smile

***

Related Links:


-Havard]]> Posted at Havard's Blackmoor Blog:

[Image: 29918259865_e40d2465cb.jpg]

For many years now, fans all over the world have been celebratingDave Arneson Game Day on October 1st, Dave Arneson's birthday. Some fans have been expanding this tradition to include the week leading up to October 1st as well, referring to that whole week as Blackmoor Week.

I think this is a wonderful idea and this year I will be embracing this growing tradition. Better still, this is a world wide event so all of you can join in as well! There are many ways you can take part in Blackmoor Week and it doesn't have to be all that complicated. This is all about celebrating Dave Arneson, Blackmoor, Dungeons & Dragons and gaming in general. So, do you want to write blog or forum articles, run games, make drawings, paintings or other art or find other ways to celebrate your love for gaming, that is awesome.

But make sure you share those things with us. Post about what you are doing in the comments here, over at the Comeback Inn or any of the other associated websites. I will add links to all the websites and events here on my blog so that we can share in the fun! This week, I have some special surprises in store for you guys as well, but those will have to wait a few days.

What will you be doing for Blackmoor Week this year and where can we learn more about it?

Also, if you post about your Blackmoor Week activities online, please link back to this place so that we can all share in the fun! Smile

***

Related Links:


-Havard]]> <![CDATA[[Blog] Being a Fan of Both Dave and Gary]]> https://blackmoor.mystara.us/forums/showthread.php?tid=2121 Thu, 03 Mar 2016 13:38:37 -0700 Havard]]> https://blackmoor.mystara.us/forums/showthread.php?tid=2121
As mentioned the other day, it is difficult to talk about Dave Arneson without getting into his troubled relationship with Gary Gygax. This is the creative relationship that resulted in the creation of Dungeons & Dragons and the invention of the RPG hobby. But it is also a story of much grief and words and actions that both men would have been better without.

Early on in my gaming career I learned about Blackmoor. It was Blackmoor that made me curious about its creator, Dave Arneson, whom I only knew as the lesser known of the two D&D creators. The age of the Intenet opened up to new opportunities for learning about authors and game designers that I only knew from the covers of the books and games that my friends and I had so much fun with. With mailing lists and internet forums it even became possible to interract with people like Frank Mentzer, Bruce Heard, Rob Kuntz, Colin McComb, Ed Greenwood, David Zeb Cook, Aaron Allston, Allen Varney and all the others. It was heaven for us fans.

The internet forums was where I first learned about the ugly side of fandom though. The lawsuits and falling out between Dave Arneson and Gary Gygax was not only the source of grief for those two men and their friends and associates. Long after Dave and Gary had seemingly put the conflict behind them, fans associated so strongly with their heroes that they continued the fight.


Gary Gygax has always had a huge following. Most of them are great people. But among them I also encountered quite a few people saying pretty nasty things about Dave Arneson. Claims that he had not really contributed to the creation of D&D at all. Blackmoor was just a variant of Chainmail. And what an evil man he had been to dare sue TSR and Gary. I didn't really know what to think about that at first. But these claims made me wonder. Could this really be true? Is the world really made up of good guys and bad guys like in the movies? Or could there be more than one side to the story? That was the beginning of a story that lead to this blog, a website and a forum. I have learned alot about the history of D&D since then.

So who is the good guy and who is the bad guy of the story? Ultimately I don't know. I never knew either Dave nor Gary. I never had a chance to speak to Gary. I met Dave once and corresponded briefly with him. But I cannot say I knew him. I think they were just two human beings who had some brilliant ideas and also made some mistakes in their lives, just like everybody else.

In 1974 both men agreed to put both names on the cover of Dungeons & Dragons. They were both willing to sign a contract that recognized both men as creators of the game. I am thankful to both men for the game they made and this is why I am a fan of both Dave and Gary. Fan theories, whether posted online or published in books is not going to change that.


So thank you Gary. Thank you Dave. Your game brought alot of joy in my life.





Illustrated version: http://blackmoormystara.blogspot.no/201 ... -gary.html

-Havard]]>
As mentioned the other day, it is difficult to talk about Dave Arneson without getting into his troubled relationship with Gary Gygax. This is the creative relationship that resulted in the creation of Dungeons & Dragons and the invention of the RPG hobby. But it is also a story of much grief and words and actions that both men would have been better without.

Early on in my gaming career I learned about Blackmoor. It was Blackmoor that made me curious about its creator, Dave Arneson, whom I only knew as the lesser known of the two D&D creators. The age of the Intenet opened up to new opportunities for learning about authors and game designers that I only knew from the covers of the books and games that my friends and I had so much fun with. With mailing lists and internet forums it even became possible to interract with people like Frank Mentzer, Bruce Heard, Rob Kuntz, Colin McComb, Ed Greenwood, David Zeb Cook, Aaron Allston, Allen Varney and all the others. It was heaven for us fans.

The internet forums was where I first learned about the ugly side of fandom though. The lawsuits and falling out between Dave Arneson and Gary Gygax was not only the source of grief for those two men and their friends and associates. Long after Dave and Gary had seemingly put the conflict behind them, fans associated so strongly with their heroes that they continued the fight.


Gary Gygax has always had a huge following. Most of them are great people. But among them I also encountered quite a few people saying pretty nasty things about Dave Arneson. Claims that he had not really contributed to the creation of D&D at all. Blackmoor was just a variant of Chainmail. And what an evil man he had been to dare sue TSR and Gary. I didn't really know what to think about that at first. But these claims made me wonder. Could this really be true? Is the world really made up of good guys and bad guys like in the movies? Or could there be more than one side to the story? That was the beginning of a story that lead to this blog, a website and a forum. I have learned alot about the history of D&D since then.

So who is the good guy and who is the bad guy of the story? Ultimately I don't know. I never knew either Dave nor Gary. I never had a chance to speak to Gary. I met Dave once and corresponded briefly with him. But I cannot say I knew him. I think they were just two human beings who had some brilliant ideas and also made some mistakes in their lives, just like everybody else.

In 1974 both men agreed to put both names on the cover of Dungeons & Dragons. They were both willing to sign a contract that recognized both men as creators of the game. I am thankful to both men for the game they made and this is why I am a fan of both Dave and Gary. Fan theories, whether posted online or published in books is not going to change that.


So thank you Gary. Thank you Dave. Your game brought alot of joy in my life.





Illustrated version: http://blackmoormystara.blogspot.no/201 ... -gary.html

-Havard]]> <![CDATA[[Blog] The "Blackmoor is Just a Chainmail Variant" Fallacy]]> https://blackmoor.mystara.us/forums/showthread.php?tid=2120 Tue, 01 Mar 2016 14:32:40 -0700 Havard]]> https://blackmoor.mystara.us/forums/showthread.php?tid=2120 The "Blackmoor is Just a Chainmail Variant" Fallacy


This is something I have been planning to write about for a while, but a recent discussion with my friend Brynjar and others on Facebook inspired me to finally get to writing. I am not really sure anyone has ever actually made the ridiculous claim that Blackmoor was nothing more than a variant of Chainmail, the miniature skirmish game by Gary Gygax and Jeff Perren. On the other hand, gaming amateur historians, Wikipedia contributors and other fans have in recent years seemed obsessed with proving Dave Arneson wrong, when he claimed that he only used the Chainmail combat system during a few sessions and then pretty much discarded it completely.

It is true that we need to to be critical to claims made by Dave Arneson when the process leading up to the creation of D&D involved if we wish to know the truth. It is clear that he had stakes involved in this debate. But am I the only one with the impression that people aren't giving Dave the same benefit of doubt that we are giving the other side? The most common argument used to defend this line of thoughts is that we can find the truth based on written documentation. However, Gary Gygax had the full resources of TSR on his side. He was also active in publishing various fanzines in the decades before D&D was published. The fact that there is alot of documentation supporting the claims he made does not equal the truth however.


Ultimately we will never know how much of Chainmail Dave Arneson used. In the First Fantasy Campaign there are many references to creatures and units from Chainmail, so he clearly borrowed those. As to the rules themselves, Dave kept most of those secret even from the players, so that part will boil down to whether you trust his word or whether you don't.

However, I think this whole discussion misses some central points. What we should really talk about is the very nature of these games and how different they are from eachother. Chainmail (by Gygax and Perren) is a miniatures game for running skirmish battles between small units. It was also not primarily a fantasy game, the few pages dedicated to fantasy at the end were added as an afterthought. Blackmoor on the other hand was a game that featured single character roleplaying, a Game Master running the monsters (somewhat later in the campaign), dungeon exploration and level advancement. All in a living fantasy environment. Dave Arneson may have borrowed ideas from Gygax and Perren, but he also borrowed ideas from Dave Wesely's Braunstein games, his own long experience in Napoleonic Wargaming, various board games and many other sources. And, just like Gary did his game design, Dave used input and ideas from his players, many of whom went on to become prominent game designers themselves.

While there might be similarities between what Dave did and those other games he looked at did, it seems clear to me that he was very much doing his own thing with Blackmoor. Not only was Blackmoor a different game, but it was also a different genre of game. When Dave Arneson demonstrated Blackmoor to Gary Gygax in 1972, Gary was already looking for a new game to publish. After having played with Dave as a Dungeon Master, Gary was convinced that he had found what he was looking for. Dave and Gary proceeded to sit down and design a new game that they would call Dungeons and Dragons. They did not sit down to design Chainmail 3rd edition. Both men realized that they had something new on their hands, though I doubt either man realized how revolutionary that game would truly become.

This article isn't written as an attack on Gary Gygax' legacy. But I think we are doing both men a disservice if we ignore the radically new ideas that arose with Blackmoor and was brought into the world's very first published roleplaying game: Dungeons & Dragons.


Full version: http://blackmoormystara.blogspot.no/201 ... riant.html



-Havard]]> The "Blackmoor is Just a Chainmail Variant" Fallacy


This is something I have been planning to write about for a while, but a recent discussion with my friend Brynjar and others on Facebook inspired me to finally get to writing. I am not really sure anyone has ever actually made the ridiculous claim that Blackmoor was nothing more than a variant of Chainmail, the miniature skirmish game by Gary Gygax and Jeff Perren. On the other hand, gaming amateur historians, Wikipedia contributors and other fans have in recent years seemed obsessed with proving Dave Arneson wrong, when he claimed that he only used the Chainmail combat system during a few sessions and then pretty much discarded it completely.

It is true that we need to to be critical to claims made by Dave Arneson when the process leading up to the creation of D&D involved if we wish to know the truth. It is clear that he had stakes involved in this debate. But am I the only one with the impression that people aren't giving Dave the same benefit of doubt that we are giving the other side? The most common argument used to defend this line of thoughts is that we can find the truth based on written documentation. However, Gary Gygax had the full resources of TSR on his side. He was also active in publishing various fanzines in the decades before D&D was published. The fact that there is alot of documentation supporting the claims he made does not equal the truth however.


Ultimately we will never know how much of Chainmail Dave Arneson used. In the First Fantasy Campaign there are many references to creatures and units from Chainmail, so he clearly borrowed those. As to the rules themselves, Dave kept most of those secret even from the players, so that part will boil down to whether you trust his word or whether you don't.

However, I think this whole discussion misses some central points. What we should really talk about is the very nature of these games and how different they are from eachother. Chainmail (by Gygax and Perren) is a miniatures game for running skirmish battles between small units. It was also not primarily a fantasy game, the few pages dedicated to fantasy at the end were added as an afterthought. Blackmoor on the other hand was a game that featured single character roleplaying, a Game Master running the monsters (somewhat later in the campaign), dungeon exploration and level advancement. All in a living fantasy environment. Dave Arneson may have borrowed ideas from Gygax and Perren, but he also borrowed ideas from Dave Wesely's Braunstein games, his own long experience in Napoleonic Wargaming, various board games and many other sources. And, just like Gary did his game design, Dave used input and ideas from his players, many of whom went on to become prominent game designers themselves.

While there might be similarities between what Dave did and those other games he looked at did, it seems clear to me that he was very much doing his own thing with Blackmoor. Not only was Blackmoor a different game, but it was also a different genre of game. When Dave Arneson demonstrated Blackmoor to Gary Gygax in 1972, Gary was already looking for a new game to publish. After having played with Dave as a Dungeon Master, Gary was convinced that he had found what he was looking for. Dave and Gary proceeded to sit down and design a new game that they would call Dungeons and Dragons. They did not sit down to design Chainmail 3rd edition. Both men realized that they had something new on their hands, though I doubt either man realized how revolutionary that game would truly become.

This article isn't written as an attack on Gary Gygax' legacy. But I think we are doing both men a disservice if we ignore the radically new ideas that arose with Blackmoor and was brought into the world's very first published roleplaying game: Dungeons & Dragons.


Full version: http://blackmoormystara.blogspot.no/201 ... riant.html



-Havard]]> <![CDATA[[Blog] Blackmoor on DM's Guild]]> https://blackmoor.mystara.us/forums/showthread.php?tid=2108 Tue, 09 Feb 2016 13:02:36 -0700 Havard]]> https://blackmoor.mystara.us/forums/showthread.php?tid=2108
This is not the first Blackmoor PDF to be offered for sale from WotC though. DA2 Temple of the Frog has been out for quite a while. Now is the chance to get the original version of the Temple of the Frog it appeared in Supplement II back in 1975 though! You might need both of these modules if you hope to properly defeat D&D's first true Arch Villain, St. Stephen!

It would be nice if Blackmoor could be made to appear among the setting filters on the DMsGuild Website though. Even more frustrating is it that a search for "Blackmoor" does not give you DA2! I hope the fine folks at DMsGuild.com get both of those things sorted out as soon as possible.





-Havard


Read enhanced version here:
http://blackmoormystara.blogspot.no/201 ... ldcom.html]]>
This is not the first Blackmoor PDF to be offered for sale from WotC though. DA2 Temple of the Frog has been out for quite a while. Now is the chance to get the original version of the Temple of the Frog it appeared in Supplement II back in 1975 though! You might need both of these modules if you hope to properly defeat D&D's first true Arch Villain, St. Stephen!

It would be nice if Blackmoor could be made to appear among the setting filters on the DMsGuild Website though. Even more frustrating is it that a search for "Blackmoor" does not give you DA2! I hope the fine folks at DMsGuild.com get both of those things sorted out as soon as possible.





-Havard


Read enhanced version here:
http://blackmoormystara.blogspot.no/201 ... ldcom.html]]> <![CDATA[[Blog] GenCon II: When Dave Met Gary (1969)]]> https://blackmoor.mystara.us/forums/showthread.php?tid=2099 Fri, 22 Jan 2016 10:44:42 -0700 Havard]]> https://blackmoor.mystara.us/forums/showthread.php?tid=2099

Dave Arneson would later remember this convention very fondly. The 21 year old Dave was already passionate about gaming. 31 year old Gary Gygax had not yet begun his career in games publishing, but he had already made a name for himself in war gaming circles with being one of the founders of the International Federation of Wargaming.The two would later work together on Don't Give Up The Ship (1972) and Dungeons & Dragons (1974). In the early 1970s, Dave Arneson also contributed several articles to the Domesday Book fanzine distributed by Gary Gygax and Rob Kunt'z Castle & Crusades Society. Dave Arneson also helped introduce David Megarry to Gary Gygax for the possibility of getting Megarry's Dungeon! Boardgame published. With all the amazing creative collaboration between the two in the years that followed, what could this first meeting between Gary and Dave have been like? This is some of Dave's recollection:

"It was the first time we really got to network with each other. Mostly you would talk on the phone with local guys. We got to meet [people from] as far away as Chicago — and from Minneapolis, that’s pretty good. I was excited to meet people you only read about in magazines. The only person I remember specifically is Gygax. That’s when he and I started to work out our collaboration for future game projects. He was just another gamer, full of gamer ideas."

From the sound of it, the creative juices started flowing immediately when they met. Dave was not used to meeting gamers from out of town and it seems clear from all of this that it must have been very exciting for him. It also sounds like he did not expect the host of GenCon and co-founder of the IFW to be such a down to earth person and how easy it was for them to talk about their gaming ideas. Can you imagine sitting in on THAT conversation?



It was, not surprisinly, meeting Gary Gygax that later stood out the most for Dave Arneson at GenCon II. A 13 year old Rob Kuntz was also present as were many others. However, Dave also mentions, in his quote, meeting gamers from Minneapolis that he did not know about. In a comment to the Castle Blackmoor Facebook Page, David Wesely shed some light on this:


Dave's ironic comment above about meeting people from Minneapolis is because we first met Mike Carr and his gaming group at Gen Con II, which was surprising because we and they were all from the same cities and had no idea that the other group existed until we met at Gary's house!

This is pretty funny. Mike Carr, perhaps best known for his Fights in the Sky game and B1 Quest for the Unknown, is someone I had always thought of as part of Dave's gaming group, so it is interesting that both of them had to go to Wisconsin to meet. Mike would late be remembered as Bishop Carr in the Blackmoor stories. I made an interview with Mike which you can read here.


As we all know, the friendship and good professional relationship between Dave and Gary would not last forever. But in the time from that GenCon and for the first half of the 1970s it would be a source of magic!

Full version: http://blackmoormystara.blogspot.no/201 ... -1969.html

-Havard]]>

Dave Arneson would later remember this convention very fondly. The 21 year old Dave was already passionate about gaming. 31 year old Gary Gygax had not yet begun his career in games publishing, but he had already made a name for himself in war gaming circles with being one of the founders of the International Federation of Wargaming.The two would later work together on Don't Give Up The Ship (1972) and Dungeons & Dragons (1974). In the early 1970s, Dave Arneson also contributed several articles to the Domesday Book fanzine distributed by Gary Gygax and Rob Kunt'z Castle & Crusades Society. Dave Arneson also helped introduce David Megarry to Gary Gygax for the possibility of getting Megarry's Dungeon! Boardgame published. With all the amazing creative collaboration between the two in the years that followed, what could this first meeting between Gary and Dave have been like? This is some of Dave's recollection:

"It was the first time we really got to network with each other. Mostly you would talk on the phone with local guys. We got to meet [people from] as far away as Chicago — and from Minneapolis, that’s pretty good. I was excited to meet people you only read about in magazines. The only person I remember specifically is Gygax. That’s when he and I started to work out our collaboration for future game projects. He was just another gamer, full of gamer ideas."

From the sound of it, the creative juices started flowing immediately when they met. Dave was not used to meeting gamers from out of town and it seems clear from all of this that it must have been very exciting for him. It also sounds like he did not expect the host of GenCon and co-founder of the IFW to be such a down to earth person and how easy it was for them to talk about their gaming ideas. Can you imagine sitting in on THAT conversation?



It was, not surprisinly, meeting Gary Gygax that later stood out the most for Dave Arneson at GenCon II. A 13 year old Rob Kuntz was also present as were many others. However, Dave also mentions, in his quote, meeting gamers from Minneapolis that he did not know about. In a comment to the Castle Blackmoor Facebook Page, David Wesely shed some light on this:


Dave's ironic comment above about meeting people from Minneapolis is because we first met Mike Carr and his gaming group at Gen Con II, which was surprising because we and they were all from the same cities and had no idea that the other group existed until we met at Gary's house!

This is pretty funny. Mike Carr, perhaps best known for his Fights in the Sky game and B1 Quest for the Unknown, is someone I had always thought of as part of Dave's gaming group, so it is interesting that both of them had to go to Wisconsin to meet. Mike would late be remembered as Bishop Carr in the Blackmoor stories. I made an interview with Mike which you can read here.


As we all know, the friendship and good professional relationship between Dave and Gary would not last forever. But in the time from that GenCon and for the first half of the 1970s it would be a source of magic!

Full version: http://blackmoormystara.blogspot.no/201 ... -1969.html

-Havard]]> <![CDATA[[Blog] GenCon II: When Dave Met Gary (1969)]]> https://blackmoor.mystara.us/forums/showthread.php?tid=2095 Sun, 17 Jan 2016 10:50:15 -0700 Havard]]> https://blackmoor.mystara.us/forums/showthread.php?tid=2095 http://blackmoormystara.blogspot.no/201 ... -1969.html

What would it have been like to sit in on the first chat between Dave and Gary? Smile 8)


More photos from GenCon2 at Boardgame Geek: https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/552879 ... ing/page/3

-Havard]]> http://blackmoormystara.blogspot.no/201 ... -1969.html

What would it have been like to sit in on the first chat between Dave and Gary? Smile 8)


More photos from GenCon2 at Boardgame Geek: https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/552879 ... ing/page/3

-Havard]]> <![CDATA[[News] Dave Arneson Game Day October 1st 2015]]> https://blackmoor.mystara.us/forums/showthread.php?tid=2048 Thu, 01 Oct 2015 08:36:38 -0600 Havard]]> https://blackmoor.mystara.us/forums/showthread.php?tid=2048


Happy Dave Arneson Game Day 2015!

http://blackmoormystara.blogspot.no/201 ... -2015.html

What will you be doing in gaming today? Smile


Links to previous years' Events: -Havard]]>


Happy Dave Arneson Game Day 2015!

http://blackmoormystara.blogspot.no/201 ... -2015.html

What will you be doing in gaming today? Smile


Links to previous years' Events: -Havard]]> <![CDATA[[News] Dave Arneson Game Day October 1st 2015 - Preparation]]> https://blackmoor.mystara.us/forums/showthread.php?tid=2046 Tue, 22 Sep 2015 15:22:19 -0600 Havard]]> https://blackmoor.mystara.us/forums/showthread.php?tid=2046
This is what happened last year: viewtopic.php?f=49&t=8236

-Havard]]>
This is what happened last year: viewtopic.php?f=49&t=8236

-Havard]]> <![CDATA[[NEWS] Rick Loomis Retires from Origins Game Fair]]> https://blackmoor.mystara.us/forums/showthread.php?tid=2011 Mon, 08 Jun 2015 15:14:52 -0600 Havard]]> https://blackmoor.mystara.us/forums/showthread.php?tid=2011
Read the full story:

http://blackmoormystara.blogspot.no/201 ... tires.html

-Havard]]>
Read the full story:

http://blackmoormystara.blogspot.no/201 ... tires.html

-Havard]]> <![CDATA[[NEWS] Mark Rein-Hagen to revive Blackmoor?]]> https://blackmoor.mystara.us/forums/showthread.php?tid=1994 Tue, 12 May 2015 05:05:57 -0600 Havard]]> https://blackmoor.mystara.us/forums/showthread.php?tid=1994 Dave Arneson's Blackmoor Facebook Page:

Quote:BREAKING NEWS: Gaming icon Mark Rein-Hagen (creator of the World of Darkness, Ars Magica) is returning to roleplaying games, and has expressed interest in putting out the first new Blackmoor material in years!

Posted May 11 2015

With WotC's current policy towards lisencing out their properties, it does seem unlikely that an actual new Blackmoor product could become a reality by a third-party publisher. However, that does not mean that nothing could come out of this. The fact that a prominent figure in the gaming industry has expressed an interest in Blackmoor is great news. I have reached out to Mr Rein-Hagen for further comments. It should be added that Rein-Hagen "liking" the facebook statement suggests that he confirms the statement.

For the record, does anyone know who currently runs the Dave Arneson's Blackmoor Facebook Page? Dustin?


-Havard]]> Dave Arneson's Blackmoor Facebook Page:

Quote:BREAKING NEWS: Gaming icon Mark Rein-Hagen (creator of the World of Darkness, Ars Magica) is returning to roleplaying games, and has expressed interest in putting out the first new Blackmoor material in years!

Posted May 11 2015

With WotC's current policy towards lisencing out their properties, it does seem unlikely that an actual new Blackmoor product could become a reality by a third-party publisher. However, that does not mean that nothing could come out of this. The fact that a prominent figure in the gaming industry has expressed an interest in Blackmoor is great news. I have reached out to Mr Rein-Hagen for further comments. It should be added that Rein-Hagen "liking" the facebook statement suggests that he confirms the statement.

For the record, does anyone know who currently runs the Dave Arneson's Blackmoor Facebook Page? Dustin?


-Havard]]> <![CDATA[[Blog] The Young Dave Arneson]]> https://blackmoor.mystara.us/forums/showthread.php?tid=1878 Thu, 11 Sep 2014 13:02:35 -0600 Havard]]> https://blackmoor.mystara.us/forums/showthread.php?tid=1878 http://blackmoormystara.blogspot.no/201 ... neson.html

-Havard]]> http://blackmoormystara.blogspot.no/201 ... neson.html

-Havard]]> <![CDATA[[News] Dave Arneson Game Day October 1st 2014]]> https://blackmoor.mystara.us/forums/showthread.php?tid=1864 Sat, 30 Aug 2014 12:23:24 -0600 Havard]]> https://blackmoor.mystara.us/forums/showthread.php?tid=1864

Friends, Blackmoorians!

The preparations have begun for Dave Arneson Game Day 2014. The main idea is to have a World Wide event on the Birthday of Dave Arneson.

I have set up a Facebook Event for the Game Day via the Blackmoor Fans page.

Is anyone else doing anything for Dave Arneson Game day this year?


Links to previous years' Events:

Arneson Gameday Poster is from the 2011 NYC Event


-Havard]]>

Friends, Blackmoorians!

The preparations have begun for Dave Arneson Game Day 2014. The main idea is to have a World Wide event on the Birthday of Dave Arneson.

I have set up a Facebook Event for the Game Day via the Blackmoor Fans page.

Is anyone else doing anything for Dave Arneson Game day this year?


Links to previous years' Events:

Arneson Gameday Poster is from the 2011 NYC Event


-Havard]]>