Blackmoor's Elemental Plane of Fire

The information found across various Blackmoor books has many implications for what's going on on the Elemental Planes. Especially on the Elemental Plane of Fire. I am looking through all the versions of Blackmoor to find information relating to the Plane of Fire. Starting with the First Fantasy Campaign, there is a Hermes-looking Fire-Elemental on the cover. Elementals are mentioned in the Wilderness section and in the Blackmoor dungeon, but mostly Air, Water and Earth varieties. Items of Elemental control can also be found.

The Afridhi

The DA modules (1980s) i where we are starting to get more details. These modules introduce Zugzul, the God of Fire and Ice (Later Fire and Darkness). Zugzul is the patron of the Afridhi who clearly are fire worshippers. Through Zugzul they are given allies in the form of Efreeti who provide the Afridhi with the Well of Souls within the Hills of Karsh. This also draws to the Prime Material Plane the enemies of the Efreeti, the Sun Brothers, an order within the Sollux Race. Solluxes are natives to the elemental Plane of Fire and Sun Brothers are their Champions of Good. Solluxes were not brought in the 3E/4E version, but I would have made the Sun Brothers followers of Paccuun (Ixion). I also like the idea of having Fallen Sun Brothers, ala Fallen Paladins/Anti-Paladins who basically serve the Efreeti and Zugzul, but that's just a fan addition of my own.

Gods of Fire 

Blackmoor 3E/4E introdouced more Deities that could be linked to the Plane of Fire:

• Zugzul: already mentioned above. Evil patron of Fire and Darkness. Lord of the Afridhi. 
• Paccuun: Champion of Good. Sun God 
• Baldin: Lesser Sun God. Patron of Bards. Patron of the Sun Singers from BMPG. 
• Sollus: Lesser Sun God. Patron of Harwest. Paladins of Sollus call themselves the Warriors of the Sun. Sollus is mainly a patron of Druids though. 
• Fiumarra: elven Patroness of Fire. Represents both the destructive and life giving aspects of fire. Most Clerics of Fiumarra are also Sorcerers. They believe they have an inner flame called qut'aunales which while in balance gives them their power. If balance is not achieved it may consume these sorcerers. (See BMPG for details).

Fire Magic

The 3E version of Blackmoor also introduced various groups of spellcasters involved with fire magic. One was the Elven Elementalists and another is the Ordo Elementarum. It is likely that these have made several expeditions to the Plane of Fire and have summoned many of the fire based creatures currently found in the lands of Blackmoor.

Creatures of Fire 

FIRE GIANTS

I have already mentioned Efreeti and Solluxes. Fire Giants are likely not natives of the Plane of Fire, but it seems likely that they are connected to that element somehow. Fire Giants in Blackmoor go back to the Age of Giants. A descendant of King Jevorin currently resides within the Dungeons of Castle Blackmoor. Another Fire Giant clan lead by Gonut-Vanur is found within the Valley of the Ancients (CotG p33). 

FIRE SALAMANDERS

In Classic D&D, Fire Salamanders are not intelligent creatures like in later editions. Intelligent Salamanders play a big role in the 3E/4E version of Blackmoor though. Within the Valley of the Ancients there is a region controlled by Lord Jihzaja ("The Dour Lord"), a noble Salamander who has an on and off quarrel with is sometimes lover the Fire Nymph named Lady Acendioris. On the 12th level of the Blackmoor Dungeons, there is also a Fire Salamander named Qu'tangles. He is the leader of a warband called The Burning Spike who are at war with the Hammerfire Clan of Fire Giants.  In my campaign The Burning Spike isn't just a war band, but a greater clan of Fire Salamanders back on the Plane of Fire

FIRE ELEMENTALS

Fire elementals are of course one of the most important races on the Plane of Fire. Many of these have found their way to the lands near Blackmoor, either through wormholes, rifts between the planes or being summoned by spellcasters. A few of them are found within the Blackmoor Dungeon, including a very old one that the other residents simply refer to as "Fred" (DocBM p 130). 

Other fire elemental cretures  found near Blackmoor include Magma Mephits, Lava Lizards (Called Fire Lizards in Supplement II), Pyrohydras and more!

More discussion of this article here.

-Havard

[Race] Ursai, the Bearfolk

One of the iconic elements of the Last Fantasy Campaign has been the race of the Ursai. Created by Rizak the Really Horrible and Rafael, this race of Bearmen has become so prominent that even I now associate it with Blackmoor. Finally I managed to trick Rizak into doing a writeup of the Ursai today which he has posted here.



-Havard

Img Source

Races of Blackmoor Update

One of the first things I look at when I pick up a new campaign setting are the races. Usually the selection of races presented in a Campaign Setting book will give you some impression of the kind of setting you are dealing with. Since I started this blog, I have touched on many of the different races of Blackmoor in my blog entries.

Inspired by a comment from Rich in the last entry, I thought it might be interesting to give an overview of how this topic has been dealt with so far.


Humans
Afridhi

• The Afridhi
• Afridhi from Tekumel?

Valemen

• The Valemen

Peshwah

• Peshwah Tribes
• Peshwah History
• Peshwah Equipment
• The Kurgans

Federation Humans

• Playing the Aliens

Demihumans
Elves

• Legend of Uhlmar

Dwarves

• Dwarves of Blackmoor

Halflings

• Hobbits of Blackmoor
• Halflings as weaklings?

Other races

• Gatormen
• Maggot Men
• Tree Lords

 That's it so far, but I am working on other races as well, as Blackmoor is home to a wide range of creatures. Maybe one day I will even produce a source book collecting all of these and more?





Image Source: Ylla Fairy


-Havard

[Races] Kurgans

Two centuries ago, Calelrin, God of Murder and Deceit lead a tribe of Peshwa out of the Plains of Hak, on a long journey south. Over the years, the Krugel tribe became very different from their Peshwa cousins. Under Calelrin’s influence they became a cruel warrior people, strangers to words like mercy or kindness. They are horseman nomads living on grassland steppes in distant lands south of Blackmoor. These days they are sometimes used as elite cavalry by the Thonian Empire.

Personality
Kurgans are a brutal people, their personality shaped by the harsh life on the steppes. They are infamous for their cruelty and reputed to toss children into pits full of starved dogs, and watch them fight for the meat for amusement. They practice animal husbandry, keeping horses, cattle, pigs, sheep and goats. They prefer to ride geldings, their main herds being kept wild under stallions, and controlled through the mares which were hobbled near the settlements and milked regularly

Physical Description
Kurgans are taller than average humans. They have gray eyes and dark hair and hard features. Unlike their browned skinned Peshwa cousins, their skin is pale. They often dress in dark colors and often decorate their armor with the bones of horses, including the characteristic jaw bones attached to their helmets.

Alignment
Kurgans are usually Neutral Evil. Good Kurgans will be outcasts from their people, and will be viewed with suspicion in other lands. Few live very long.

Lands
The realms of the Kurgans are now part of the Thonian Empire. Their lands are typically flat steppe grasslands, near wooded areas and watercourses. There are mixed forests of oak, birch, fir, beech, elder, elm, ash, aspen, apple, cherry and willow. Wildlife in these lands include aurochs, elk, boar, wild horses, wolves, fox, beaver, squirrels, badgers, hare and roe deer. These lands are also known to be home to a large lizard known as the Sheltopufik. It is not venomous, is often six feet long; it moves about with erect head and breast, and when pursued defends itself by darting against the horse and his rider. The Kurgans live semi-nomadic lives, but the occasional hill-fort and village can be seen when travelling through these lands.

Relations
The Kurgans have become subjugated by the Thonian Emperor, but enjoy relative freedom within the Empire. The Kurgans found that they were soon gaining a reputation for being great mercenaries. They are frequently employed as elite Cavalry by the Thonians. Some are even deployed on the Thonian Rand near Blackmoor. The Peshwa view the Kurgans as an abomination and fear them as do most others who have heard of this people.

Religion
Kurgans follow the Peshwa pantheon, but hold Calelrin the God of Murder Deceit above the other gods. Calelrin’s murder of his brother Hadeen is seen as a holy act to the Kurgans and many Kurgan warriors have tried to seek out the place where Hadeens body fell to worship the cruelty of their God.

Language
Kurgans speak a dialect of the Peshwa language. Most also speak Thonian.

Names
Kurgans go by their first name and a clan name.

Male Names
Agah, Akhun, Bahri, Cengiz, Duyal, Firat, Haldun

Female Names
Asu, Ayfer, Berfu, Cennet, Desen, Esma, Izel

Adventurers
Kurgans who travel the world are often mercenaries. Most adventurers are Fighters or Barbarians. High level Kurgans can become Dragon Knights, in spite of their evil alignment.

Discussions on this topic






-Havard

[Races] Valemen

Valemen are a race of humans living to the west of Blackmoor, beyond the Duchy of Ten and the Eaves. They are believed to be related to the Skandaharians, possibly mixed with Peshwa blood. They are a warrior culture based around agriculture and viewed by Thonians as barbaric. Halgred Forestwalker, believed to be the first druid in the north, was a Valeman and it is his ways that are still being taught in this part of the world. Magic is left to druids and rangers to understand. A Valeman simply accepts the situation he is placed in. 

Personality
Valemen are a proud people who live life to the fullest. They do not expect the world to be completely predictable nor seek explanations for everything that happens. They care about their clan, their family and their honor. One important aspect of Valeman life is their closeness to nature. A Valeman will know every hill and mountaintop far beyond his village.

Physical Description
Most Valemen are short and stocky. They have fair skin and their hair ranges from blonde to brown to red with eye color from gray to green to brown. Blonde hair and blue eyes is seen as particularly attractive and many Valemen dye their hair with lime to make it lighter in color. Valemen often dress in Tartans showing clan affiliations and status. They are known to wield massive Claymores as their favored weapon. That said, Valemen also have knights and nobles not unlike the Thonians, even though the most expensive forms of armor are rare.

Alignment
Honor and tradition is important to these people. Abstract laws are less important and they care more about personal integrity. Valemen lean towards a neutral good alignment, though can be of any. Deception and lies are frowned upon.

Lands
The Vales is the name of the region stretching from the Eaves of Ten in the east to the foothills of Goblin Kush Mountain in the west. These lands are filled with green valleys and rich agricultural fields.

Relations
Valemen have had some trade with the Duchy of Ten in the past and are on relatively good relations with those people. Many Valemen have suffered from slaver raids directed from the Duchy of the Peaks and hold a grudge against the people of those lands. Lately, the Valemen have become overrun with the Afridhi invasions and most of their time is spent fighting those occupying forces. Another important relationship for the Valemen people is that with the Fey. Ever since the days of Halgred Forestwalker, the Valemen have been close to elves and Fey. In particular a Fey race known as the Sidhe have been close to Valeman communities, many Sidhe living among the Valemen and becoming heroes to the humans, even intermarrying with them. Many of the Valeman noble families can trace their blood lines back to a Sidhe hero.
 
Religion
The center of Valeman belief is the druids. Valemen follow druidic patrons like Elgath, Faunus, Sylvain, Ordana and Terra.

Language
Valemen have their own language known as Valespeech. There is no written form of this language. Most Valemen also speak Thonian.

Names
Valeman names are formed with a first name and the word “ap” (meaning son of) added before the father’s name. Nicknames are also very popular among the Valemen, both positive and negative ones. Someone with a positive nickname will find that they are expected to live up to it.

Male Names
Casnar, Gwyn, Gwyddno, Hywel, Ifor, Syfwlch, Wledig

Female Names
Angharad, Ceri, Cerridwen, Eirwen, Elen, Heledd, Luned, Rhian, Sian.

Adventurers
Heroes are extremely important in Valeman Society. Valemen celebrate these in songs and tales as individuals who embodied all of the values Valeman culture. Their closeness to nature gives them a particular knack for exploring wilderness and underground locations or even other planes of existence.

D20 Abilties
•    Medium: As Medium creatures, Valemen have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
•    Valeman base land speed is 30 feet.
•    1 extra feat at 1st level.
•    4 extra skill points at 1st level and 1 extra skill point at each additional level. Valemen are versatile and capable. These skills points are often used to reflect the Valeman experience with wilderness exploration.
•    Automatic Language: Valespeech. Bonus Languages: Any (other than secret languages, such as Druidic).
•    Favored Class: Any. When determining whether a multiclass Valeman takes an experience point penalty, his or her highest-level class does not count. Rangers and Druids are popular classes among Valeman adventurers as are Bards.

Image Source:
•    http://getasword.com/blog/391-celtic-gods-list-of-celtic-gods-and-goddesses/




-Havard

[Races] Maggot Men

When we were discussing Gator Men the other day, reader Dan Boggs mentioned Maggot Men as another typical Arnesonian invention. This strange race appeared in Garbage Pits of Despair, a Blackmoor adventure written by Dave Arneson and published in Different Worlds Magazine #42 and 43 (1986).

Maggot Men men are described as having "the bodies of maggots and the appendages of a man". They have sickly pale skin and sinister looking eyes. Maggot Men live in deep holes where garbage and other organic refuse can be found. They live off this garbage and will eat just about anything, including zombies; a particular deicacy among these creatures. Maggot Men are usually found in fairly large groups (1-20) and even bigger groups in their main underground lairs. They keep a race of spider-like creatures, known as Carcus Critters as pets. They feed these toothlesss critters with slimes, jellies and puddings. Maggot Men are known to be cowardly and not very bright creatures.

alternate design

The origins of this race in the setting are unknown. Did some evil god create this race, perhaps through cursing another race into becoming "like maggots", or are they the creation of some wizard looking for a way to dispose of his garbage?


Source: Image 1
Source Image 2



-Havard

[Races] Gatormen

Also known as Broadgrin, the Gatormen are, as the name implies a cross between man and aligator. The Gatormen of Blackmoor make their home in the Barrier Swamp. This swamp marks the border between the Duchy of Ten and the Duchy of the Peaks. There have been many speculations to where this horrid race came from. One theory is that they were created by Lord Ran at the time when he controlled the Duchy of Ten. The Egg of Coot has been known to spawn a number of mosterous creatures, and Ran is reported to have stolen many of the Egg's secrets when he betrayed his former master. Although fellow swamp dwellers, Gatormen have no love for Froglin and are clearly not followers of the Frog God. Most likely they are followers of Demogorgon.

Behind the Curtain:
DA4 is the first recorded appearance of Gatormen, who later appeared in the D&D Creature Catalog. This means the race was invented by Dave Arneson or David Ritchie. They were later incorporated into the Red Steel Setting (Mystara) through Bruce Heard's excellent Voyage of the Princess Ark series. Red Steel offered no link to Blackmoor, but instead provided a much later creation date for when the race supposedly was created by a Wizard. It seems likely that this Wizard had discovered some old Blackmoorian scrolls which he used as a basis for his recreated race.


-Havard

Hobbits as weaklings?

I have previously discussed the Tolkienesque nature of Dave Arneson's Halflings. In all early D&D, the connection to Tolkien was apparent. With the release of the third edition, however, the halflings were re-imagined in a way which grognards have described as "ninja Kender". The reason for this change was a view of the older edition D&D Halflings, not just among WotC employees, but I believe among many D&D players as a whole, that Halflings in D&D were a race of fat, weaklings, useless as PC option.

When ZGG began publishing Blackmoor in 2003, they announced that Blackmoor's Halflings would be a return to the Tolkienesque halflings, in the spirit of Dave Arneson's original fantasy campaign. However, what does that really mean? Is it true that Tolkien himself described Hobbits as weak, fat and useless? Not at all, of course!

Sam carries Frodo. Scene: Return of the King, 
Peter Jackson, Dir. 2003

When looking at Tolkien's Hobbits, I think it is useful to distinguish between Hobbit adventurers and regular folks. Much of the early day inspiration for D&D halflings seems to have been drawn from the first part of the novel The Hobbit. But the descriptions there refers to the non-adventurer Hobbits of the Shire. Bilbo is said to have been the first adventurer from the shire (though there are some references to previous heroes of the race elsewhere in Tolkien's writing). Still, Bilbo wasn't much of an adventurer when he was first dragged out of his hobbit hole by Gandalf and the dwarves.

Similarly Frodo, Sam, Pippin and Merry were completely unexperienced at the onset of the Lord of the Rings. Compare this to the same characters towards the end of the trilogy. The Hobbits have all become heroes in their own right. They have no problem disposing the stooges of Saruman who have been destroying the Shire in their absence. Similarly, Bilbo makes the trek from the Shire to Rivendell completely on his own, even though the distance he covered was known to be populated by Wights, Trolls and other evils.

One of the abilities most often overlooked in Hobbits is their resiliance. Gollum was able to keep the Ring for centuries. Still, he had retained enough of his "humanity" to give Frodo hope that he could be redeemed in Return of the King. Frodo was the only one who would be able to carry the Ring to Mordor, a task none of the heroes of the other races would have been able to accomplish. Sam was even able to give back the Ring to Frodo after "carrying it for a while" for his master.

Take a look at Sam carrying Frodo up the slope towards Mount Doom. Is that the work of a weakling? I think not! Hobbits can be tough heroes without the need of being turned into anorectic ninja elflings. Dave Arneson and his players were aware of this, as shown in the adventures of Mello and his companions.




-Havard

[Races] Tree Lords of Blackmoor

One of the oldest races of Blackmoor, older than the elves by far are the Tree Lords. Sometimes called Ents, these walking tree like humanoids are as ancient as the oldest forests of the planet.  Ordana the Forest Mother is said to be one of the first generation of Tree Lords. After her ascendance to Immortality, she created the elves. From the birth of the elven race, the forests took care of them. As the elven race matured, the elves learned to care for the forests, like children growing up to care for their aging parents. In the North, King Uhlmar instructed the elves to care for the Tree Lords.

The Oldest Tree Lords are known as the Gakkaraks. These creatures are easily mistaken for dark moss covered trees. These ancient ones have grown bitter over the centuries, recenting all but those who show the utmost respect for the woodlands. Gakkaraks have a special connection to the forests they live in, being able to sense intruders of any sort. In addition to the Wizard of the Woods himself, Druids are the only humanoids that the Gakkaraks will fully tolerate. Even the elves are viewed by suspicion by these woodland giants.

The more common of Tree Lords are usually referred to as Treants. In the Age of Blackmoor, Treants are the servants of the elves. Treants are often called for when elven realms are threatened. It is not unheard of to see armies of Treants marching at the command of elven lords. In the great wars of the North, Treants under elven leadership have been known to serve both Blackmoor and Thonia in various alliances.

As the elven race became divided, Treants remained loyal to the Cumasti elves. In the Western Woods, they no longer obey the Westryn, but instead act as they see fit for themselves. A powerful Gakkarak lives within the borders of the Duchy of Ten. His name is Benoit and he cares little for the affairs of man, trying to stay out of the recent conflicts in that part of the world. Still a creature such as Benoit would be a vast source of information, having lived for such a long time. He even remembers Halgred Forestwalker, the first druid in this part of the world.

In the Cumasti Woods, Treants remain loyal to Menander Ithamis. With the elven lord’s alliance with King Uther, it is not unlikely that armies of Treants could once again be called upon in the service of Blackmoor, just like in the days of King Uhlmar.

Behind the Curtain:

Ents are listed in the FFC as available army units for both Vestfold and The Great Kingdom (later Thonia). The term Ents was of course removed from later D&D products along with hobbits and  other terms borrowed from Tolkien.  Still, it is fascinating to imagine armies of Tree-men marching to war in Blackmoor, similar to how Tolkien described in Lord of the Rings. 

The DA modules did not feature Ents, but a new monster, the Gakkarak was introduced there. It was later included in the Creature Catalogue. Gakkaraks are more powerful than the Treants, which is what D&D’s Ents ended up being turned into, but the Gakkaraks are also more hostile towards humanoids. 

Ordana, originally a Treant herself appears in the Mystara product line, but Ordana is also the main patroness of the elves in the ZGG Blackmoor line.




Image Source





-Havard

[Races] Dwarves of Blackmoor

After reading the innovative articles about Dwarves and Gnomes of the Dwimmermount Setting, over at Grognardia, I wanted to write something about the Dwarves of Blackmoor. Dwarves in the Blackmoor Campaign are perhaps of a more traditional kind, but still fairly interesting:


The Dwarves of Blackmoor are a dying race. 500 years ago things were different. Under the leadership of dwarven hero Uberstar Kazakhum, the dwarves began exploring the north in search of minerals. Was it simple green that drove them? Was it simple market economics; The Thonian Empire was in need of minerals and the dwarves sought new sources to fill that market? Or did the dwarves, like other groups after them, actively seen to leave the lands of Thonia. Regardless, it is clear that the dwarves have little love for the Empire. Oberstar has been a staunch supporter of Uther since his break with the Emperor and the current dwarven leader, Lortz Kharnundrhum, has followed the policy of his predecessor managing to overcome his people’s suspicions towards Uther’s alliance with the Elves of The Redwood.

The dwarven colonization of the North at first seemed promising. The dwarven settlement of North Delving expanded from the original settlement in the Crystal Peak Mountains to include the Black Hills, the Iron Hills, the Dragon Hills and the Stormkiller Mountains. The magically fused minerals of Blackmoor were of particular interest to the Wizards of the region, something which lead to great wealth for the dwarves. Their main competitor in providing minerals is the Duchy of the Peaks, but the unstable nature of that Duchy meant that they didn’t make for much of a financial threat to the position of the dwarves.

However, life in the North has not been kind to the dwarves. After over 500 years, the great dwarven settlement has been reduced to fewer than 10.000 individuals. 6 consecutive wars with the Orcs have taken a dramatic toll on the dwarves.  Desperation could be another reason for them deciding to ally with Blackmoor. The Empire never really cared about the North, until they realized they could not have it anymore. The realization of the fact that the dwarves are losing to the Orcs have also lead the dwarves to exploring other means of fighting. Ventures into new technology in order to create war machines are not just a curious past-time to the dwarves. It is a question of the survival of their entire race.

The strange inventions which have appeared over the recent decades in Northern Delving have lead to speculation of some unknown source of technological lore hidden deep in the dwarven lands (As discussed in this blog article). The infusion of Gnomes into the dwarven population about 200 years ago also lead to great progress in the field of technology. The dwarves had the resources and much of the base technology in place, but the Gnomes could provide precision, given their long tradition as clockmakers. Finally, Uthers establishing of the University of Blackmoor could lend the dwarves the expertise they would need In order to take their knowledge to a whole new level. However, the latest war with the Orcs is going in the wrong direction and prevents further cooperation with the humans until it is resolved. Heroes are needed!

My Dwarven Timeline can be found at the Comeback Inn: http://blackmoor.mystara.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=528


Image source: http://images.elfwood.com/art/k/o/kozienko/dwarf_axeman.jpg





-Havard