Adventures in Blackmoor
Encyclopedia
Adventures in Blackmoor is a 64-page Dungeons & Dragons
fantasy
role-playing game
adventure
, designed to be compatible with the Dungeons & Dragons Expert Set
.
s are transported from their "modern" time to the time of Blackmoor and must rescue King Uther from The Prison Out of Time.
The adventure takes place in three parts inside an inn. The first part of the adventure takes place in a dungeon setting. Clues found in the inn lead to the second part of the adventure. The inn shifts between dimensions for the second part of the adventure, which concerns itself with certain changes taking place inside the inn as it shifts. In the third and final part of the adventure, the inn shifts to another dungeon.
The final 20 pages of the adventure give a description of Blackmoor
, and detail 38 prominent NPCs
from the setting. The module includes campaign setting material on Blackmoor and the Thonian Empire.
and David J. Ritchie, and published by TSR in 1986 as a 64-page booklet with a color map and outer folder. The module uses Arneson's original campaign setting of Blackmoor
, updated for the D&D Expert Rules. It features cover art by Jeff Easley
and interior artwork by Jim Holloway
. It is designed for character levels 10–14, and features some locations and characters from Dave Arneson's original Blackmoor campaign.
This module consists of a 64-page booklet and an A2 color map inside a wraparound card cover. Also included are seven pages of background for the DM, which give the history of the area in which the adventure is set, as well as three more pages introducing the player character
s to the world of Blackmoor.
reviewed Adventures in Blackmoor for White Dwarf
#86, calling it "a device to get the PCs
into the world of Blackmoor from wherever they happen to be at the time". Davis felt that having the adventure take place in three versions of the same inn "cuts down on the map requirement but can lead to a static feel in play". He noted that while the adventure's introduction links it to X1 Isle of Dread
, the device could be used in any game world. He felt that ending the adventure in an old-fashioned "zoo-dungeon" was disappointing, "reminding us of Blackmoor's origins", but that the clues leading to the second part of the adventure were intriguing. Davis felt that the background provided on Blackmoor was interesting information, but was too little for DMs to base further adventures on the setting. He found that the adventure only has one core idea that doesn't get explored much. He was also disjointedness that Blackmoor wasn't explored much "despite the colour map which comes as part of the package". Davis does note that players familiar with TSR and Judges' Guild products of the late 1970s would get a feeling of nostalgia from this adventure, and that the "zoo-dungeon" is "well written and set out, with a reasonable plot, and should provide an interesting and enjoyable session's play", despite how such adventures had become old fashioned by the time this module was published. He concluded the review by stating that the module "makes a reasonably good introduction to Blackmoor, but a lot will rest on DA2 and the rest of the series; as a campaign starter DA1 has a lot going for it, but it will stand or fall on what comes next".
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
adventure
Adventure (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, an adventure or module is a pre-packaged book or box set that helps the Dungeon Master manage the plot or story of a game...
, designed to be compatible with the Dungeons & Dragons Expert Set
Dungeons & Dragons Expert Set
The Expert Set is an expansion boxed set for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. It was first published in 1981 as an expansion to the Basic Set.-1981 printing:The D&D Basic Set saw a major revision in 1981 by Tom Moldvay...
.
Plot summary
Adventures in Blackmoor is a scenario set in the land of Blackmoor, 3000 years before other D&D scenarios by TSR. The player characterPlayer character
A player character or playable character is a character in a video game or role playing game who is controlled or controllable by a player, and is typically a protagonist of the story told in the course of the game. A player character is a persona of the player who controls it. Player characters...
s are transported from their "modern" time to the time of Blackmoor and must rescue King Uther from The Prison Out of Time.
The adventure takes place in three parts inside an inn. The first part of the adventure takes place in a dungeon setting. Clues found in the inn lead to the second part of the adventure. The inn shifts between dimensions for the second part of the adventure, which concerns itself with certain changes taking place inside the inn as it shifts. In the third and final part of the adventure, the inn shifts to another dungeon.
The final 20 pages of the adventure give a description of Blackmoor
Blackmoor
Blackmoor is a fantasy role-playing game campaign setting generally associated with the game Dungeons & Dragons. It originally evolved in the early 1970s as the personal setting of Dave Arneson, the co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons, first as a setting for Arneson's miniature wargames, then as an...
, and detail 38 prominent NPCs
Non-player character
A non-player character , sometimes known as a non-person character or non-playable character, in a game is any fictional character not controlled by a player. In electronic games, this usually means a character controlled by the computer through artificial intelligence...
from the setting. The module includes campaign setting material on Blackmoor and the Thonian Empire.
Publication history
DA1 Adventures in Blackmoor was written by Dave L. ArnesonDave Arneson
David Lance "Dave" Arneson was an American game designer best known for co-developing the first published role-playing game , Dungeons & Dragons, with Gary Gygax, in the early 1970s...
and David J. Ritchie, and published by TSR in 1986 as a 64-page booklet with a color map and outer folder. The module uses Arneson's original campaign setting of Blackmoor
Blackmoor
Blackmoor is a fantasy role-playing game campaign setting generally associated with the game Dungeons & Dragons. It originally evolved in the early 1970s as the personal setting of Dave Arneson, the co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons, first as a setting for Arneson's miniature wargames, then as an...
, updated for the D&D Expert Rules. It features cover art by Jeff Easley
Jeff Easley
Jeff Easley is an oil painter who creates fantasy artwork in the tradition of Frank Frazetta.-Early life:...
and interior artwork by Jim Holloway
Jim Holloway (artist)
-Background:Jim Holloway was self taught in illustration, although he was able to study some oil paintings by his father.-Works:Jim Holloway has continued to produce interior illustrations for many Dungeons & Dragons books and Dragon magazine since 1981, as well as cover art for The Land Beyond the...
. It is designed for character levels 10–14, and features some locations and characters from Dave Arneson's original Blackmoor campaign.
This module consists of a 64-page booklet and an A2 color map inside a wraparound card cover. Also included are seven pages of background for the DM, which give the history of the area in which the adventure is set, as well as three more pages introducing the player character
Player character
A player character or playable character is a character in a video game or role playing game who is controlled or controllable by a player, and is typically a protagonist of the story told in the course of the game. A player character is a persona of the player who controls it. Player characters...
s to the world of Blackmoor.
Reception
Graeme DavisGraeme Davis (game designer)
Graeme Davis is a writer and editor. He has worked extensively in the gaming industry and was one of the original designers of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay....
reviewed Adventures in Blackmoor for White Dwarf
White Dwarf (magazine)
White Dwarf is a magazine published by British games manufacturer Games Workshop. Initially covering a wide variety of fantasy and science-fiction role-playing and board games, particularly the role playing games Dungeons & Dragons, RuneQuest and Traveller...
#86, calling it "a device to get the PCs
Player character
A player character or playable character is a character in a video game or role playing game who is controlled or controllable by a player, and is typically a protagonist of the story told in the course of the game. A player character is a persona of the player who controls it. Player characters...
into the world of Blackmoor from wherever they happen to be at the time". Davis felt that having the adventure take place in three versions of the same inn "cuts down on the map requirement but can lead to a static feel in play". He noted that while the adventure's introduction links it to X1 Isle of Dread
Isle of Dread
The Isle of Dread is an adventure for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. The adventure, module code X1, was originally published in 1981. Written by David "Zeb" Cook, and Tom Moldvay, it is among the most widely circulated of all Dungeons & Dragons adventures due to its inclusion as part of...
, the device could be used in any game world. He felt that ending the adventure in an old-fashioned "zoo-dungeon" was disappointing, "reminding us of Blackmoor's origins", but that the clues leading to the second part of the adventure were intriguing. Davis felt that the background provided on Blackmoor was interesting information, but was too little for DMs to base further adventures on the setting. He found that the adventure only has one core idea that doesn't get explored much. He was also disjointedness that Blackmoor wasn't explored much "despite the colour map which comes as part of the package". Davis does note that players familiar with TSR and Judges' Guild products of the late 1970s would get a feeling of nostalgia from this adventure, and that the "zoo-dungeon" is "well written and set out, with a reasonable plot, and should provide an interesting and enjoyable session's play", despite how such adventures had become old fashioned by the time this module was published. He concluded the review by stating that the module "makes a reasonably good introduction to Blackmoor, but a lot will rest on DA2 and the rest of the series; as a campaign starter DA1 has a lot going for it, but it will stand or fall on what comes next".