Blackmoor - Another Point of View
by Irving GalvezBlackmoor was a country that in the 3000BC (In Old D&D) was destroyed causing great changes in all the world. The cause of this explosion was the used of high technology that came from space. It was said that a spaceship crashed on Mystara. Well, those who have play Old D&D or that now are playing Mystara Campaign know something about this.
What I am going to explain here is some little summaries of what happened after the explosion in Blackmoor.
1.- Almost all civilisations near Blackmoor were destroyed and most of the major constructions (cities, towns, etc.) became ruins.
2.- Some of the humans that survive gather near the ruined cities, citadels, towns, etc.
3.- This humans started using some of the last technology resources which make them more powerful.
4.- Then as nature always claims, the powerful humans conquered the less powerful humans.
5.- So many city-states were born as well as some kingdoms and with this war show up.
6.- Mean while huge humanoid and beast waves infested also Blackmoorian territory.
7.- So humans allied to make war upon beasts or humanoids.
8.- After many years of battle neither of both sides were victorious, only death.
9.- Some foolish humans awaked an undead demon thinking he could help destroyed humanoids.
10.- The demon awaked thousand of dead humans and humanoids and began to conquered both human an humanoids.
11.- By the next years humans and humanoids allied to destroyed the demon and his legions.
12.- And so it was but all means of technology were for ever buried.
13.- In the present days what remands of Blackmoor, if some day you want to play adventures in there, is a huge kingdom were humans and humanoids live, in harmony?
NOW DAYS
In this ages, Blackmoor is divided in four extensive territories: THE BLACK SWAMP, AMARRILLO DESERT, THE UNFORGIVING WASTES AND WRAITH FOREST.
The Black Swamp
This is a very strange place. After the big catastrophe, tar started to raise from the ground eliminating every kind of ecosystem. For years this natural tar well extended up (nearly 100 square miles) east of what is now the Unforgiving Wastes. The first creatures that move to this place were dinosaurs, that stayed in a small plateau near the centre of the swamp now know as the Reptile Lands. Nearly any creature that tried to live here died. But sooner or later some humanoids adapted to this land, this were the lizardmen. After year of rough adaptation the lizardmen learn how to coexist with this hostile environment. Their skin grew harder and their living skills of water turn into tar skills. In the present the now known Black Lizardmen is some how like his other brothers, but their skin is black, they can swim in the tar and they rule this rich lands. They live in villages build over the tar swamp. They are very organised and have high skills in military tactics. They are good merchants and nearly can obtain anything they want. The only problem is they don't have many lands to use in agriculture.
SPEKTROK the capital, a big city built in the Reptile Lands, is famous place to hire mercenaries, hunters, scouts and is the capital of commerce in the Black Swamp. There is a big road, the only one, built so that trade can arrive to this city. The road is nearly 50 miles long and it is well guard with 10 large outposts. The Black Lizardmen have learned to live in harmony with dinosaurs so they are a good help in many circumstances. This are good reasons for anyone to allied or to be in peace with the Lizardmen.
SLARDOK XI, the lizard king , has divided the Black Swamp in Five sectors. North Sector is the richest lands in the swamp. Here are the biggest agricultural camps that Black Swamp has. This lands are the major food supplier the land have so there are some outpost that guard this place. South Sector is the poorest in its major parts it is infested by giant size insects so it has little population but Slardok thinking it is the most vulnerable place has set up many scout camps and military camps. East Sector is were the tar well springs. So is here what its know as the OIL LAKE because here it is very depth. West Sector is were most of the lizardmen villages are. Here is were the big road was constructed. So this villages exist near the road. Centre Sector here are the Reptile Lands and The capital city Spektrok.
Spektrok is a major city with a population 500,000. 65% are black lizardmen, 15% humans, 10% demi-humans and 10% humanoids. In the centre of the city is a big palace, home of the king. Here he rules with justice. The city has walls protecting it, and its walls are divided in sectors that have small towers of guarding usually with a siege weapon. There are only four entrances to the city, 2 principals and 2 small ones. The principals are huge enough for any kind of terrestrial transport. The small ones only admit persons. The city is a good place for thieves to find victims and some times it becomes a battle field for the different thieves guilds. There are only two kinds of crimes lesser and major crimes. Lesser crimes are pay with prison. major crimes with death in the principal park.
There are 4 military orders: The Followers of the Spear, Heavy Cavalry, Air Assault and The 100 Feet.
The Followers of the Spear are the Royal Elite Guard. They have golden chain mails +2 and Spears +2. They are the ones that protect Specktrok City. They are divided in: Royal Guards that are the personal body guards of the king, Palace Guards: that guard the entire palace complex, City Guards that guard the city limits and Police Guards that guard and make justice in the city. All the members of this Guards are Black Lizardmen.
The Heavy Cavalry is composed by mixed forces of lizardmen, humans, humanoids and demi-humans, mounted in different kinds of prehistoric animals and dinosaurs. The most often creatures use are: Dire wolves, Sabletooths, Bekkahs, triceratops, mastodons and mammoths.
Air Assault is composed by mixed forces like the Cavalry. They use many different kind of prehistoric birds and some black dragons.
The 100 Feet is also a mixed force. They are infantry and scouts.
Imagine that a torch fell into the tar. Many years ago the Black Lizards old wicca, Squark, searching it's path to immortality, built an artifact called the EYE OF TAQUAKSU that was made to protect the habitants of the Black Swamp from dying burned. Now in our days this artifact is in the hands of the king. This is a hand size obsidian gem set in a small statue that resembles a cyclops. It is said that the wicca had kill the strongest cyclops in Mystara.
The black swamp habitants worship Algotuku Kasquas, in human dialect The Great Black One. This god was invented in the past but really didn't exist. Now that Squark is immortal, he has taken this god role and is seeing for its people.
The only true enemies of the black lizardmen is a not so small group of gatormen that lives in a small swamp in the Unforgiving Wastes. Some lizardmen spies have intercepted some secrets papers that uncover plans of attacking Black Swamp with another humanoids groups.
The language the lizardmen use is a primitive Thyatian dialect. So anyone that speaks Thyatian can understand some words.
YOU CAN DISTRIBUTE THIS TO ANYONE. IF SOMEONE WOULD LIKE TO PUT SOME IDEAS TO IT, DO IT, BUT I WILL ALSO APPRECIATE THAT YOU COULD SEND ME THE ATTACHMENTS. MY E-MAIL IS: EGALVEZ 4CORREO.TAMNET.COM.MX
NOTE: BLACKMOOR IS A TRADEMARK AND
COPYRIGHT OF Dave Arneson.