http://home.nvg.org/~hoc/Blackmoor_final.jpg
Comments?
Håvard
Shane
I have some comments you might find useful:
1) The Root river should be very long. It connects to a set of lakes and rivers far inland that go in N-S and E-W directions (DA1, page 44):
Blackmoor’s main waterway is the Root River, which cuts across the southern third of the land all the way from the Plains of Hak to the North Sea. This broad, shallow, gently flowing waterway is navigable along its entire length and carries much of the kingdom’s commerce. Far inland, it becomes part of a system of lakes and river channels that carry both north-south and east-west trade.
2) The capital of the kingdom of Blackmoor is not Blackmoor city, but Vestfold (DA1, page 45):
The town of Vestfold, some 50 miles from Blackmoor across and the Barleycorn, is the most important town in the heart of the realm... Today, it is the home of the kingdom’s bureaucracy and the official seat of government.
3) Cirkoshia: this is a mysterious land (possibly not far from Skandahar) that is cited once in the background of the Skandaharian leader Thorsen One-Thumb. Possibly Cirkoshia is a land of traders (DA1, page 61):
Actually, Thorsen isn’t a cruel man by his own lights. He just enjoys a good joke-like the time he earned his nickname by hacking off the left thumb of a Cirkoshian merchant who was using that digit to weight the scales during a trading session.
4) The Misauga River: I was always wondering if the map scale for this river is correct. Being a "river" and not a "channel", and considering the fact that it was crossed several times by the Afridhi, I suppose that the final part of the Misauga (say, from Hanford to Port Dacoit) should be narrower than what is showed on the maps.
5) The region between Ramshead, Cloudtop, Dragonia and the Crystal Peaks is called "The New Lands". These are territories subtracted to the Empire of Thonia after the Great Rebellion, and opened for settlement by the Kingdom of Blackmoor (DA1, page 44):
South of the Root River and east of Blood Lake is the area called the New Lands, that vast stretch of new territory opened up after the Great Rebellion. Here, South of the Crystal Peaks, human settlements are few. Almost at the head of the Wurm River is Dragonia, the first (and only) town of the new Barony of Dragonia, created to block any northward move by the Horsemen of Peshwah....
6) Not visible on the map but interesting: North of the Firefrost channel lies the infamous Skandaharian Sea, home to the Raiders of the West. It is rich of fjords and its waters are very cold (DA1, page 43)
The Black Sea is linked to the Skandaharian Sea in the far north by two maritime passages: the Amber Channel that separates Blackmoor from the Realm of the Egg and the Firefrost Channel that cuts northward from around Robinsport. It is the Firefrost Channel that has so often served as a conduit for the fierce Raiders of the West, come down from their isolated fiords on the Skandaharian Sea to loot the coasts of Blackmoor and the Duchy of Ten. It is the freezing current from the Firefrost Channel that gives Blackmoor its temperate climate (which would otherwise be almost subtropical).
7) The Bolgers (not visible on the map, but interesting, too): this is a human stock with black skin and curly black hairs. It is possible that this human race lives in the extreme south of the Thonian Empire. It would be nice to connect them to the Tanagoro of Skothar. Possibly the Bolgers are one of the northermost Tanagoro culture, that was conquered and adsorbed in the Thonian Empire. (DA1, page 60, background of the Thonian thug Skandros the Strangler):
Skandros is a master of disguise, whose true appearance is unknown in the North. He is rumored to be of Bolger ancestry, which would make him dark-complected with dark eyes and black curly hair.
Hope this helps.
Cirkoshia: this is a mysterious land (possibly not far from Skandahar) that is cited once in the background of the Skandaharian leader Thorsen One-Thumb. Possibly Cirkoshia is a land of traders (DA1, page 61):
Since several of Blackmoor's cultures are similar to RW cultures (e.g. Skandaharians = Norse), I'd lsuggest that the RW equivalent of the Cirkoshians may be the Cirkassians. Here's Wikipedia links to the country and its language.
Shane
P.S. Nice update to your Blackmoor website Havard!
Very very nice map, Havard! I like a lot the style you used for drawing it.
Thankyou! And thanks for your great comments as usual
1) The Root river should be very long. It connects to a set of lakes and rivers far inland that go in N-S and E-W directions (DA1, page 44):
Blackmoor’s main waterway is the Root River, which cuts across the southern third of the land all the way from the Plains of Hak to the North Sea. This broad, shallow, gently flowing waterway is navigable along its entire length and carries much of the kingdom’s commerce. Far inland, it becomes part of a system of lakes and river channels that carry both north-south and east-west trade.
So, I should probably extend it all the way to the southern end of the map eh?
2) The capital of the kingdom of Blackmoor is not Blackmoor city, but Vestfold (DA1, page 45):
The town of Vestfold, some 50 miles from Blackmoor across and the Barleycorn, is the most important town in the heart of the realm... Today, it is the home of the kingdom’s bureaucracy and the official seat of government.
I had never noticed that! :embarrass
I will get around to fixing it.
3) Cirkoshia: this is a mysterious land (possibly not far from Skandahar) that is cited once in the background of the Skandaharian leader Thorsen One-Thumb. Possibly Cirkoshia is a land of traders (DA1, page 61):
Actually, Thorsen isn’t a cruel man by his own lights. He just enjoys a good joke-like the time he earned his nickname by hacking off the left thumb of a Cirkoshian merchant who was using that digit to weight the scales during a trading session.
Cool! I had never noticed that entry. You have discovered a new Blackmoor Era nation. Cool!
4) The Misauga River: I was always wondering if the map scale for this river is correct. Being a "river" and not a "channel", and considering the fact that it was crossed several times by the Afridhi, I suppose that the final part of the Misauga (say, from Hanford to Port Dacoit) should be narrower than what is showed on the maps.
Misauga is supposed to be a massive river, IMO comparable to the Missisippi. Your point is still noted though...
5) The region between Ramshead, Cloudtop, Dragonia and the Crystal Peaks is called "The New Lands". These are territories subtracted to the Empire of Thonia after the Great Rebellion, and opened for settlement by the Kingdom of Blackmoor (DA1, page 44):
South of the Root River and east of Blood Lake is the area called the New Lands, that vast stretch of new territory opened up after the Great Rebellion. Here, South of the Crystal Peaks, human settlements are few. Almost at the head of the Wurm River is Dragonia, the first (and only) town of the new Barony of Dragonia, created to block any northward move by the Horsemen of Peshwah....
Cool, I might add a label for that region even.
6) Not visible on the map but interesting: North of the Firefrost channel lies the infamous Skandaharian Sea, home to the Raiders of the West. It is rich of fjords and its waters are very cold (DA1, page 43)
The Black Sea is linked to the Skandaharian Sea in the far north by two maritime passages: the Amber Channel that separates Blackmoor from the Realm of the Egg and the Firefrost Channel that cuts northward from around Robinsport. It is the Firefrost Channel that has so often served as a conduit for the fierce Raiders of the West, come down from their isolated fiords on the Skandaharian Sea to loot the coasts of Blackmoor and the Duchy of Ten. It is the freezing current from the Firefrost Channel that gives Blackmoor its temperate climate (which would otherwise be almost subtropical).
Indeed! If you look at this map http://www.geocities.com/havardfaa/precataclysmic04.jpg you will notice the Black Sea just north of where it says Afridhi Territories.
7) The Bolgers (not visible on the map, but interesting, too): this is a human stock with black skin and curly black hairs. It is possible that this human race lives in the extreme south of the Thonian Empire. It would be nice to connect them to the Tanagoro of Skothar. Possibly the Bolgers are one of the northermost Tanagoro culture, that was conquered and adsorbed in the Thonian Empire. (DA1, page 60, background of the Thonian thug Skandros the Strangler):
Skandros is a master of disguise, whose true appearance is unknown in the North. He is rumored to be of Bolger ancestry, which would make him dark-complected with dark eyes and black curly hair.
Another reference that had escaped me. Well done! I agree that linking them to the Tanagoro of Skothar makes alot of sense.
Håvard
Cirkoshia: this is a mysterious land (possibly not far from Skandahar) that is cited once in the background of the Skandaharian leader Thorsen One-Thumb. Possibly Cirkoshia is a land of traders (DA1, page 61):
Since several of Blackmoor's cultures are similar to RW cultures (e.g. Skandaharians = Norse), I'd lsuggest that the RW equivalent of the Cirkoshians may be the Cirkassians. Here's Wikipedia links to the country and its language.
Thanks for the links and info! Now we have some ideas for fleshing out this culture aswell!
P.S. Nice update to your Blackmoor website Havard!
Thanks! I have a few big surprises for the fans of my website coming this fall...
Håvard
Here they are:
1) The Genander elves: these are the elves of Blackmoor, form the description of the pregenerated PC Ismelian Sothadis at the end of DA4 (page 47). Here is the sentence:
This tall, keen-eyed, platinum haired elf is of the blood of the ancient high elves of Genander’s house-those who lived in the Northlands of Thonia centuries before men came to Blackmoor. It is dimly possible that Menander Ithamis, Lord of the Northern Elves in the time of King Uther, is his distant ancestor. Whatever the case, for Ismelian, his trip back through time is a wondrous journey into a past that his people remember far better (and more immediately) than men. Everything in Blackmoor is a delight that reminds him of some story or legend dear to his kin.
Most interesting of all, the Genanders are an "high elves" breed and they are still alive in Mystara as of AC1000 (Ismelian is a modern-era elf, who made his adventures near Selenica. Possibly this "high elves" are tall, with platinum/grey hair and delicate features (this seems to match with the physical description of other elves from DA1 NPC list). In the Italian Message Board we guessed that some modern era elves are related to the ancient Blackmoorians high elves. In our opinion, at least a fraction of the Wendarian elves and, possibly, of the Shyie elves may have the high elves blood .
2) The northern barbarians: In DA2 (page 11, first column: unluckily I don't have the sentence here with me) it is suggested that the PCs introduce themselves as if they came from a far lands, north of the northern seas, where barbarians fight each other for the supremacy. The Blackmoorians don't know much about this land, so the PCs are free to insert here the description of their true nations of origin (Darokin, Glantri, etc), with the hope of being believed by the people.
3) Synobian monks: In the Inn between the Worlds there is a book written by a mysterious Synobian moonk called Valerin, taht speaks about the History of Thonia and Blackmoor. Possibly this book was written some decades (or centuries) after the death of King Uther Andahar. What is this "Synobian" order? Where it comes from?
"The Chronicles of Thonia. Book IX: Wherein is Told the Story of the Great Rebellion Against the Empire and the Rise of the North, Being a True and Accurate Account of the Holy Life and Rigthteous Acts of Uther the Justifier As Compiled By The Synobian Monk Valerin from Records Found in Blackmoor and the Imperial Library at Mohacs."
4) Plantations of the far south of Thonia: from DA1, page 4. It depicts the way of life in this far part of the Empire. It could be easily connected to the Bolgers and the Tanagoro (see also note 5), below):
As was to be expected of an area still half frontier, life there (in the Northlands) was hard, harder than anywhere else in the Empire, saw perhaps for the miserable slave-worked plantations of the far south.
5) The Tangor insular civilization: this very interesting note comes from HW - Kingdom of Nithia supplement (at the beginning of the "History of Nithia" section):
Nithian adventurers began to explore the world —including the fell lands of Blackmoor— and return with the spoils and artifacts of their exploration.
During this period, Nithia discovered the insular Tangor civilization, which apparently survived the Blackmoor and Glantri disasters intact.
This civilization should not be connected with the Tanagoro civilization of the HW, because the latter were placed in teh Hollow World due to volcanic upheavals due to the Great Rain of Fire. Possibly the Tangor insular civilization was a culture that lived in the island chain that divides in two the Skothar continent in the pre cataclysmic maps. Considering that as of AC1000 these islands are replaced by a broad stretch of mountains I suppose that some cataclysmic event destroyed this culture between BC1500 (the rise of Nithia) and the present time. My favourite time is the BC800-700, due to the fact that DotE states that Nuari colonists from the Tangor peninsula had been colonizing the Pearl Islands for some centuries starting from BC1000.
Anyway, if we use the pre cataclysmic map as a reference, south of the Thonian Empire there was this Tangor insular civilization, which possibly was not a part of the Empire.
sorry I didn't respond to this one earlier. There is just so much information here for me to digest!
But thanks for posting it. I would like to make a map detailing some of the surrounding areas of Blackmoor and much of this material could be incorporated there. The Vales, Goblin Kush, the Land of Thralls and Rhun should also be included here.
BTW, according to D20 DAB, Blackmoor city is the capital of Blackmoor, although the Regency Council often meet in Vestfold as you mention to get away from all the other stuff going on in the capital.
Håvard