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The story goes that Dave Arneson’s Napoleonics players showed up for the game one week and discovered that Arneson had set up the model of a medieval castle on his ping-pong table. That evening they went on the first dungeoncrawl in history and the modern roleplaying game was born!

A great deal of confusion existed for a number of decades because Arneson had misremembered what model he had used. Thanks to Jeff Berry, we now know that the model Arneson had was Kibri model No. 37304, an N-Gauge model of Branzoll Castle. (A model which, not coincidentally, precisely matches the maps of Castle Blackmoor in the First Fantasy Campaign.) So not only do we know exactly what Castle Blackmoor looked like, it turns out that Kibri still manufactures this model kit! You can buy your own copy of Castle Blackmoor for $70-80!

CASTLE BLACKMOOR

• The castle was built during the reign of Robert I, but a fortress has stood at this location throughout recorded history and the castle incorporates many of the underground galleries of the older structures. Moat was created 400 years ago by the wizard Pissaic during the great Ben-Hassock invasions.
• The Coot Invasion began when the former Baron Wesley – now known as the Weasel – betrayed the Great Kingdom, lured the other local noblemen into Castle Blackmoor’s library, and slaughtered them. (“All that is really known is that they entered but never left and no trace of them was ever found.”) The Weasel now serves as loyal lieutenant to the Egg of Coot.
• The current ruler of Blackmoor, Baron Fant, rose to that position by virtue of his actions during the Coot Invasion.
• GM Note: See p. 21-23 of the First Fantasy Campaign for additional background material and maps.

EGG OF COOT

• This all consuming personality lives off the egos of others to support his own ego.
• At one time of humanoid appearance (or so historical records say), but his current appearance is uncertain – a huge mass of jointly operating cells, an undulating jelly, a thickly hided egg, pure energy, a lotus-eating man, a mass of living rock, etc.
• Communications with the Egg are through either direct mental transmission or an Old World artifact in his throne room which allows him to transmit from his City-Palace.
• His realm lies northeast of the castle, beyond the Wolf’s Head Pass (see First Fantasy Campaign, p. 18). [I imagine his City-Palace as a sort of cargo cult edifice of the Old World, with its peoples subjugated into a hive mind consciousness on the edge of the Egg’s vast, domineering mentality.]

FIRST SCENARIO

• Soukup, a treacherous agent of the Egg of Coot, placed Baron Fant into a magical sleep and flees into the dungeons below the castle.
• PCs are sent in pursuit.
• GM Note: Baron Fant has actually been infected with vampirism. (Historically, he becomes the infamous Sir Fang.)

DESIGN NOTES

The scenario here is meant to be evocative of, but not a precise duplicate, of the First Dungeon Adventure as described by Greg Svenson. (The enemy agent Soukup is a transparent homage to Jim Soukup, who played the balrog in the original scenario.)

It should be noted that it has become fairly apparent that the scenario described by Svenson is not, in fact, “the first dungeon adventure in history of Dungeons & Dragons.” (Although it is very possible that he’s unintentionally conflating details from different sessions.) I strongly suspect that the scenario hook that Svenson describes — the Bad Guys have done something to Baron Fant and fled into the dungeons — is, in fact, the event in which Fant was transformed into Sir Fang (the first vampire in the history of Dungeons & Dragons), which is why that’s reflected in my selected scenario hook here.

(In the real world, Dave Fant — Baron Fant’s player — had taken a job and needed to withdraw from playing in the campaign, as described in this interview. Arneson apparently came up with the idea of turning him into a vampire.)

DUNGEON FEATURES – ON THE MAP

Stairs: All stairs are circular (though not drawn that way). 20 to 30 feet between levels.

Secret Doors (Thin Wall): Anywhere there is a “thin wall” between areas.

Devil Fountains (Black Dots): Made of black, glass-like material with ruby eyes, gold horns, silver accoutrements. They spew out sulfuric acid. They are highly magical. Attempts to molest them will cause a great howling of sound and earth tremors, followed by the entire area collapsing into ruin.

Fire Pits (Crosshatch): Deep flue-like chimneys that go into the deepest parts of the dungeon to connect with the great lava pit beneath the castle (level 25). There is always a low railing (2 to 3 feet) around them. Often marked with religious images, etc.

Note: The famed Orcian Way does not yet exist. It’s also likely that the tunnels on Level 1 were not yet collapsed.

DUNGEON FEATURES – OTHER FEATURES

Catacombs: Honeycombing the hill that Blackmoor Castle has always stood upon are a series of tunnels and galleries which have been used for a number of purposes throughout history.

The Tombs: Area used for the final resting places of Blackmoor nobility and distinguished warriors. Haunted.

The Gallery of the Undead: Used during the Plague of the Undead as their headquarters and temple to perform their unholy rites.

Dungeons & Torture Chamber: Used by various sadistic Dukes or Barons of the past. Torture chamber is lost; it was sealed up at some point in the past.

Wizard’s Pit: Former ruler of Blackmoor’s Attendant Wizard practiced his arts here. Workshop was destroyed some 500 years ago due to the nature of his research. Wizard was imprisoned here when it was sealed up.

The Black Pit: An area of noxious fumes and bottomless pools caused by some natural phenomena where it is, of course, rumored that a gate to Hades is located.

Sealed Treasure Vaults: Sections filled with treasure and then sealed up (to hide it from those besieging the castle; or, more recently, by delvers hoping to return for it).

DESIGN NOTES

Although it was not my goal to attempt to “recreate” Arneson’s original dungeon key, I did want to tap into his creative palette. So I sucked the material here out of the First Fantasy Campaign to both understand his conception of the sorts of sub-complexes the dungeon would contain (catacombs, tombs, wizard laboratories, etc.). For my own utility, I’m also planning to print out a copy of 101 Curious Items to supplement my description of the dungeon.

Next: The Dungeon Key

IN THE SHADOW OF THE SPIRE

SESSION 15C: THE TAINT OF GHUL

January 12th, 2008
The 6th Day of Kadal in the 790th Year of the Seyrunian Dynasty

MORNING SICKNESS

The next morning, Tee woke up early and was struck almost instantly by a wave of dizziness and nausea. She felt sick in both body and soul.

She woke Dominic, but he wasn’t able to find anything wrong with her. So she decided to cross Delver’s Square to St. Gustav’s Chapel and speak with Brother Fabitor. But, like Dominic, he wasn’t able to find anything wrong with her. She seemed perfectly healthy.

Frustrated and confused, Tee returned to the Ghostly Minstrel in time to join the others for breakfast. When she described what she was feeling, however, Ranthir suddenly spoke up: “Actually, now that you mention it, I haven’t been feeling well since we were exploring that strange temple yesterday.”

“And you didn’t say anything?” Tee was aghast.

“I didn’t think it was of import.”

Now they were all worried. Was the temple the ultimate source of Tee’s illness, as well? And, if so, would they all succumb to it eventually? And how bad would it get?

“It’s not a physical illness and it’s associated with Ghul’s Labyrinth,” Tee said. “Maybe somebody else has run into this before.”

“I could check at the Delver’s Guild Library,” Ranthir suggested.

“Good idea,” Tee said. “I’m supposed to be meeting with Mand Scheben at the Temple of Asche this morning. So I’ll meet up with you here for lunch? See what you’ve found?”

A CONVERSATION WITH MAND

When Tee reached the Temple of Asche, the priests took her directly to Mand’s office.

Tee had thought it was going to be difficult to explain what was troubling her, but she quickly found that she was gushing information: She told him all about the deal she had made with Malkeen (a detail that not even her comrades knew about) and then went on to describe her encounter with Malkeen the previous morning. This led her into an explanation of who Dullin was and how she had ended up sending him a note (although here, at least, she curtailed the explanation in much the same way she had with Malkeen himself).

Mand was concerned. Malkeen was dangerous, and he was certain that Lord Zavere had never meant for them to attract that kind of attention. He promised Tee that he would bring the matter up with Zavere as soon as possible.

After leaving Mand’s office, Tee felt twisted up inside: She wasn’t sure if she’d done the right thing. She certainly wasn’t happy with all the information that had spilled out of her. But it was what it was. She’d have to live with it.

THE SHADOW OF TAINT

Tee returned to the Ghostly Minstrel. About an hour later, Ranthir came back, as well.

The news wasn’t good: Based on the description of their symptoms and the events surrounding it, Ranthir suspected that they were suffering from a phenomenon known as “taint”. Taint was a perversion of the natural order – a corruption so profound it warped the very nature of reality. It was a manifestation of extreme evil or chaos concentrated into a single creature, artifact, ritual, location, or act.

Ranthir suspected that the temple they had explored was a tainted place. It was also possible that some of the items they had taken from the Labyrinth were tainted themselves (which would explain why Tee didn’t begin manifesting symptoms until hours later).

“How can we know for sure?” Tee asked.

“Certain divination spells – particularly those which can detect the presence evil or chaos – can detect the taint,” Ranthir said.

Dominic said that he would be able to pray for such divinations in the morning, but Tee wasn’t willing to wait. She marched them all straight back to the Temple of Asche.

Mand was surprised to see that Tee had come back so quickly, but when he heard the situation he quickly summoned in one of the other priests and had him perform the appropriate rites.

These confirmed their fears: Tee and Ranthir had been touched by the taint, which clung to them like a miasma. In addition, several of the objects that Tee carried proved to be tainted themselves – specifically the two cube-like hunks of metal; the small box of metallic discs (specifically the discs themselves); the glass sphere filled with blackish liquid; and the twenty arrows of milky-white glass.

Mand Scheben knew that there were holy rites that could cleanse the taint out of them, but they would be expensive – even with the favored status in which the Temple of Asche held them. (There were lesser rites that wouldn’t be so expensive – but they would leave some residue of the taint behind.)

In fact, the only way they could afford the more expensive rituals would be with the money they were going to get for the gemstones Tee had consigned to Edarth’s the day before. They hadn’t been paid for that consignment yet, but they would be soon enough. Tee asked Mand if the proper rites could be prepared for the next day. Mand agreed.

Tee also asked him if the church would be willing to take the tainted objects from them. But at this Mand balked: He would have to consult with the elders of the church before agreeing to such a thing. Tee was frustrated by this – “You’re a church! That’s what you’re supposed to do!” – but really had no choice in the matter.

NEXT CAMPAIGN JOURNAL

Go to Part 1

Magic Swords are, universally, intelligent creatures. Possible explanations (some, all, or none of which might be true):

• Prisons for higher-dimensional beings.
• The matrix through which higher-dimensional beings communicate with the material world, and enact their will through mortal wielders.
• The personality storage devices which preserve the personalities of the Ancients; or perhaps the crew of some interdimensional / interplanetary vessel.
• Ancient artificial intelligence processing cores.

Arneson describes them as both the “Magic Swords of Mythology” and as “an entire family of magic swords”. The Swords comprised “most of the early magical artifacts,” with Arneson placing the statistics for each on an individual card.

Side: d8: Good 1-4, Neutral 5-6, or Evil 7-8

• Sword will refuse to use its abilities for those on a different side.
• Inflicts 2d6 damage on those serving the opposing side.

Intelligence: 1d12 + double the sword’s Intelligence modifier

• Can be used for intelligence tests.
• Swords will generally respect those with Intelligence equal to or greater than their own, but will tend to consider themselves in charge when wielded by lesser intellects.
• Communication: No Communication 1-3, Pass on Gross Emotions 4-7, Speak 8-10, Telepathy 11+

Egotism: 1d12

• Reflects the sword’s self-interest.
• Make Egotism checks for things like: Leading wielder past better weapons, into greater dangers, demanding a share of the loot, payments made towards its interests (nicer scabbard, etc.), being captured by a character more likely to let it achieve its aims.

Powers:

• Magical Bonus: To attack and damage rolls.
• Damage Multiplier: Versus one or more monster types.
• Ability Bonus: Applies to wielder’s Strength and/or Intelligence scores.
• Special Values: Generally spell-like abilities, except for those listed below.
• Magic Spells: A list of spells the sword can cast. This requires the wielder to use their action. They can cast a number of spells per day as indicated.

Special Values

• Puissance: All enemies must make morale check when sword is drawn.
• Morale: Morale bonus equal to magical bonus to morale checks for those on wielder’s side; twice that to the wielder.

RANDOM SWORD TABLE

DESIGN NOTES

Simply waving away Arneson’s lengthy treatment of magical swords would have certainly been the easiest approach here. But it was also clear to me that magic swords WERE a central element of Blackmoor, particularly in its earliest days. (Where, as Arneson wrote, they were most of the magical artifacts to be found.)

The treatment of magical swords in the First Fantasy Campaign, however, is a confusing one. Much of the material clearly dates to the earliest days of Blackmoor when Arneson was using a system derived from Chainmail and amalgamated with any number of now unknown other mechanics. There are also clear indications that this material has been very lightly revised to make it superficially “compatible” with the published version of D&D. (One location where the terms “Intelligence” and “Brains”, the latter the original Blackmoor character stat, is the most significant giveaway of this incomplete revision.)  There are also any number of typographical errors, most likely introduced when Arneson’s handwritten notes were set to print by Judges Guild.

In order to render this material usable in my Blackmoor game, therefore, I needed to (a) figure out at least roughly how these mechanics had originally been used; (b) interpret the written descriptions of the swords accordingly; and (c) convert the swords to a format that could be used in OD&D. In this work, I have to thank DH Boggs, whose analysis of the swords helped me figure out how the mechanics would have originally worked in Arneson’s game.

In terms of adapting the swords: I chose to halve the original bonuses to Strength, Intelligence, and Combat and to implement “Double Value” as a doubling of damage against certain targets. I also randomly generated OD&D spells where the original sword descriptions simply indicated, for example, “6 spells”. (I first determined the maximum level of spell the sword was capable of casting using a table from the FFC, then simply randomly rolled from there.) I have also reverted the “Law vs. Chaos” elements of the magic swords to “Good vs. Evil”, for reasons that I’ll explain at a later date.

SWORD MATRIX

A +3 sword of detect evil/magic, puissance

x2 Damage: Dragons, Balrogs, Ghosts, Elementals

Ability Bonus: Strength +1, Intelligence +1

B +2 sword of detect invisibility, charm dragons

x2 Damage: Trolls

Ability Bonus: Strength +2, Intelligence +1

C +2 sword of invisibility

x2 Damage: Werewolves

Ability Bonus: Strength +2, Intelligence +1

D +2 sword of detect evil/invisibility, invisibility

x2 Damage: Dragons, Goblins

x3 Damage: Ghosts

Ability Bonus: Strength +1, Intelligence +2

E +2 sword of invisibility

x2 Damage: Giants, Orcs, Werewolves

Ability Bonus: Strength +1, Intelligence +1

F +1 sword of paralysis

x2 Damage: Giants, Werewolves, Wizards, Wraiths

x3 Damage: Dragons

Ability Bonus: Strength +2, Intelligence +2

G +1 sword of detect magic, invisibility, paralysis, see in darkness

x2 Damage: Elementals, Ghosts, Goblins

Ability Bonus: Strength +2, Intelligence +2

H +1 sword of puissance

x2 Damage: Dragons, Ghouls, Wraiths

Ability Bonus: Strength +1, Intelligence +2

I +1 sword of puissance

x2 Damage: Elementals, Humans

x3 Damage: Pudding

Ability Bonus: Strength +2

J +2 sword of invisibility detection

x2 Damage: Goblins, Ogres, Orcs, Pudding

x3 Damage: Balrogs

Ability Bonus: Strength +2, Intelligence +1

K +1 sword of detect magic, paralysis, puissance, see in darkness

x2 Damage: Ents

Ability Bonus: Strength +2, Intelligence +1

L +2 sword of detect magic, paralysis, puissance

x2 Damage: Balrogs, Giants, Ghouls, Mortals, Ogre

x3 Damage: Humans

M +2 sword of detect evil, puissance, see in darkness

x2 Damage: Ghouls, Humans, Orcs

Ability Bonus: Strength +2, Intelligence +1

N +1 sword of detect magic

x2 Damage: Werewolves

Ability Bonus: Strength +1

O +1 sword of detect magic, paralysis, morale (x2)

x2 Damage: Balrogs, Giants, Orcs, Trolls

Ability Bonus: Strength +1, Intelligence +1

P +1 sword of detect invisibility, see in darkness

x2 Damage: Mortals, Orcs, Werewolves

x3 Damage: Humans

Ability Bonus: Strength +2

Q +1 sword of detect magic, paralysis

x2 Damage: Ghosts, Goblins

Ability Bonus: Strength +1, Intelligence +1

R +2 sword of detect evil

x2 Damage: Elemental, Giants, Ogres, Werewolves

Ability Bonus: Strength +1, Intelligence +1

Magic Spells (2/day): charm person, light, read magic

RED +1 sword of detect invisibility/magic, morale, paralysis, puissance

x2 Damage: Elementals, Ghouls, Orcs, Trolls

Ability Bonus: Strength +3, Intelligence +2

Magic Spells (10/day): detect magic, hold portal, read magic, read languages, protection from evil, light, charm person, sleep

Note: Last owner was the Baron Wesley

WHITE (SILVER) +2 sword of detect invisibility/magic, puissance

x2 Damage: Mortals, Ogres, Orcs, Wraiths

x3 Damage: Dragons, Goblins

Ability Bonus: Strength +3, Intelligence +3

Magic Spells (11/day): continual light, detect invisible, detect magic, light, protection from evil, sleep

BLUE +3 sword of detect invisibility, invisibility, paralysis, puissance

x2 Damage: Balrogs, Ents, Ghouls, Giants, Goblins, Orcs

x3 Damage: Elementals, Wizards

Ability Bonus: Strength +2, Intelligence +3

Magic Spells (4/day): continual light, haste, hold portal, locate object, protection from evil, protection from normal missiles

PURPLE +2 sword of detect evil/magic, paralysis, see in darkness

x2 Damage: Balrogs, Ents, Giants

x3 Damage: Werebears

Ability Bonus: Strength +2, Intelligence +3

Magic Spells (5/day): detect evil, invisibility, knock, locate object, protection from evil, read languages

GREEN +3 sword of detect invisibility/magic, puissance

x2 Damage: Balrogs, Elementals, Goblins, Ogres, Orcs, Werebears, Werewolves

x3 Damage: Trolls

Ability Bonus: Strength +2, Intelligence +1

GOLD +1 sword of detect magic

x2 Damage: Elementals, Ents, Ghosts, Orcs

x3 Damage: Goblins

Ability Bonus: Strength +3, Intelligence +3

Magic Spells (6/day): Any 1^st level spell

GREY +4 sword of morale, paralysis, see in darkness

x2 Damage: Balrogs, Ghouls, Giants, Goblins, Mortals, Pudding, Wraiths

Ability Bonus: Strength +3, Intelligence +3

BLACK +2 sword of detect invisibility, paralysis, puissance, see in darkness

x2 Damage: Ghosts, Ghouls, Ogres, Mortals

x3 Damage: Balrogs

Ability Bonus: Strength +5, Intelligence +3

MAROON +1 sword of detect invisibility, see in darkness

x2 Damage: Dragons, Ghosts, Giants, Goblins, Trolls

x3 Damage: Balrogs, Humans

Ability Bonus: Strength +3, Intelligence +3

Magic Spells (9/day): continual light, ESP, infravision, invisibility (10’), protection from evil (10’), read languages

PINK +2 sword of detect magic, morale, puissance, see in darkness

x2 Damage: Elementals, Ents, Ghosts, Giants, Ghouls, Trolls, Werebears, Werewolves, Wraiths

Ability Bonus: Strenght +2, Intelligence +2

Magic Spells (2/day): conjure elemental, hold person, fly, phantasmal forces, protection from normal missiles, teleport

YELLOW +2 sword of detect invisibility

x2 Damage: Elementals, Ogres, Wraiths

x3 Damage: Dragons, Giants

Ability Bonus: Strength +2, Intelligence +2

Magic Spells (8/day): detect evil, ESP, fly, locate object, phantasmal forces, read languages, sleep, slow

Next: Castle Background & Features

Go to Part 1

See Part 1 to determine if a room has treasure and what type of treasure it contains, then roll on these tables.

GOLD

POTIONS & AMULETS

(1d6: Potion 1-5, Amulet 6)

Potions: Alchemical, liquid transmuted by technomantic process, or nano-particles in a liquid suspension.

Amulets: Amulets either harness and imprison minor demons, feyish spirits, or some other powerful entity. Or they are ancient technomantic artifacts; the enduring technology which serves as a template for the cheap, modern “spell eggs” (see below). 1d50 charges. The former either expend or release their trapped spirit; the latter can be recharged with battery power.

SPECIFIC ENTRIES

Heroism: 10% chance the effect of the potion is permanent, but works by replacing the current version of the character with one from an alternate future/dimension. Amulet’s effect lasts for as long as it is worn, expending 1 charge per day.

Sustenance: Drinking the potion renders it unnecessary for the drinker to imbibe food or water for a month and a day. The amulet works like a create food spell.

ARMS & ARMOR

Blue Armor: This armor is formed from an extraordinarily light blue metal. The greaves each have a panel of multi-colored buttons, but these only work when the armor is fully assembled (as per a lightning bolt thrower, a fireball thrower, and 1d3 random pieces of Equipment.) When generated, determine which piece is present randomly:

Each additional piece of armor adds a +1 bonus to AC. (Thus a complete suit is +5 armor.) However, when a complete suit is worn the onboard AI activates and takes control of the suit. (Those wearing the suit can sometimes be heard screaming, “Let me out! No! Stop!”)

Fireball Thrower: 1d100 charges. 6^th level fireball.

Lightning Bolt Thrower (Laser): 1d100 charges. 6^th level lightning bolt.

EQUIPMENT

Battery Power: A battery of the ancients. They can be used to recharge technological items of the ancients.

• Generator: Generators are large, generally immovable facilities that create energy. This energy may be harvested from the environment by comprehensible means (geothermic, solar, etc.); or it may be based on incomprehensible technology (space-time crystals, etheric harvesting, etc.). Generators can be used to recharge batteries. 10% of generators can also create one dose of mercurial water per week.

Borer: 1d100 charges, 1 charge per hour of use. Can dig through ten yards of any material every hour. Makes a hole 10’ x 10’ as it goes. It has no weight but can only move about 1 mph.

Communicator: 10% chance it is found with a paired device.

Crystal Ball: Per OD&D. Images displayed looking like they’re composed from “ragged lines” (like a holographic CRT display).

Flyer: A lightweight vehicle of the ancients that can be folded up to relatively compact dimensions. As per broom of flying (50%), flying carpet (40%), or a flying carpet that can carry up to 12 people (10%).

Illusion Projector: 1d100 charges. Can create the 3D image of anything and animate that image. Range is line of sight, no limit, and image must be less than 100 yards on a side.

Medical Unit: Coffin-sized unit. Will heal all wounds in 24 hours, but there’s no way to get out early. 1% chance per person healed that the unit loses power.

Mercurial Water: Silvery liquid. Can be used to refuel robots, skimmers, time machines, and other vehicles of the ancients.

Screener: 1d100 charges. Creates spherical sphere of energy. Cuts out all outside light, magic, etc. Those within the barrier are behind the equivalent of +5 Armor. Magic cannot pass the barrier. Lasts 10 minutes per charge. 5% chance it malfunctions and cannot be lowered manually (staying up until the current charge runs out).

Skimmer: A lightweight vehicle of the ancients that can be folded up to relatively compact dimensions. Can cross stretches of water at great speed, 50 mph and greater, as well as marsh and short (10 yards) stretches of low unobstructed land. Hitting a snag will wreck the Skimmer and cause the occupant one Hit Die in damage per 5 mph of speed. Chance of hitting a snag is about 1% per 100 miles of water, 5% in marsh, and 5% everytime any land is crossed. All encounter chances can be ignored due to its speed.

Spell Egg: Technomantic, clockwork devices. Modern spell-eggs are inferior to those of the ancients (which are classified as amulets), and are one-use only items.

Note: Ancient manufacturing facilities known as Laboratories crank out spell eggs (the Egg of Coot controls one). Newer facilities, seeking to reverse engineer the Laboratories, are known as Workshops (the Ran of Ah Fooh has created one).

Spell Formula: These are plans which allow one to make spell eggs. The arcane arts are based on figuring out how to adapt the details of these plans (most of which are reverse-engineered from amulets) so that they can be performed as magic rites (i.e., spells). So one trained in the arcane arts can also use these formula to either make spell eggs (the equivalent of scrolls) or learn the spells (customizing rites into their spellbooks).

Time Machine: See Robots.

Transporter: These are large, generally immovable facilities, similar to a Star Trek transporter pad. One can use the equipment to transport somewhere else. If one has access to a crystal ball or similar distance viewer, they might also be able to transport people to the pad. 1% chance per person transported that the facility loses power.

• Dimensional Transporter: Dimensional transporters work the same, but can also access locations in other dimensions. Each dimensional transporter generally only has 1d6 such dimensions currently accessible, although it may be possible to load additional dimensional tables into them.

Tricorder: 1d100 charges. Will give the operator complete physical information about any item it is pointed at. Has a range of 100 yards, only metal will block its effect. Will only give out information that it is specifically asked for. When asked general questions, there is a 25% chance it can be found in its limited databanks.

ANCIENT BOOKS, MANUSCRIPTS,  AND MAPS

Educator: Teaches you how to use the mechanical marvels of the ancients. One tape in the machine, other tapes can be used as treasure finds, etc.

Entertainer: Any jolly you ever wanted, and some that might kill you. User loses track of time and is open to attack. Roll 1d10 for hours of use. Cures all fatigue and raises fighting level by one for the rest of the day.

Technical Manual: Describes the function and use of Ancient technology.

ROBOTS

• Base Stats: 1d6 AC, 1d6 HD; there is a 10% chance that any robot is a lightning thrower (20 bolts, 6d6 damage).
• Controllers: Allows players to get Robots to do what the player wants. Otherwise, there is only a 20% chance you can use the Robot, 20% chance it is defective, 60% that it is hostile.
• Size (1d6): Small 1-3, Medium 4-5, Large 6
  • Small: Autonomous unit. Roughly human in size.
  • Medium: Capable of being piloted (requires training/educator) by a single passenger.
  • Large: Capable of carrying 3-18 passengers.
  • The fact the larger sizes can operate as vehicles is not immediately apparent.

Fighting Machine: A tripod combat platform. +2 HD.

Flying Machine: A hovering droplet of liquid silver metal with a rippling, ridged, perfectly reflective surface.

Humaniform: A humanoid robot or android. Some are quite lifelike in their simulation of humanity (or other species).

Teleportation Machine: Generally tripod robots, although humaniform variants have been reported. These entities can, upon request, teleport you and/or themselves to a location of your desire. (Or use the same function as a devastating offensive capability and/or means of flight.)

Time Machine: Roll a d6 to determine the type of temporal manipulation the machine is capable of. The machine’s power requirements are quite severe, however, requiring mercurial fluid for each temporal manipulation.

• 1, 2, 3: Stopping time for 1d6 rounds, during which time it can take actions.
• 4, 5: Travel forward through time, reappearing in the same spot at a later time of their choosing.
• 6: A true time machine, a la H.G. Wells. Its incredibly convoluted control schema, however, requires a save vs. spells. On a failure, the character has inadvertently (and irrevocably) shunted themselves into an alternate timeline.

Water Machine: Amphibious robots that operate freely in water. Some take the form of articulated, modular robotic sea serpents.

DESIGN NOTES

As far as treasure generation is concerned, there is some evidence that Arneson originally used a point budget to stock treasure, too. Or, at least, magical treasure. Unfortunately, as far as I can tell, no details of this system are available. The method developed here is based on the basic methodology found in Volume 3 of OD&D, using additional methodology inspired from the incomplete Loch Gloomen and Bleakwood stocking tables, and original magic tables stocked with Arneson’s science fantasy items and his magic swords.

Most of the items found here originate specifically from Arneson (with a few exceptions, such as mercurial water). I have made a number of entries much more specific in their description, however, reflecting my personal creative impulse. (For one example of this in practice, see Arneson’s Machines.) I have also added a number of specific mechanics for items, perhaps the trickiest of which was the Time Machine (which I thought about eliminating entirely due to the self-evident difficulties such a device would create in actual play… before deciding, “Fuck it, let’s go for it and see what might happen.”)

What I consider the most important thing to grok about the Blackmoor setting is that it is post-apocalyptic and much of its “magic” is actually super-science technology. You can see that reflected in the treasure tables here and, if anything, I’ve leaned even more heavily into this concept. I find it interesting, but also perhaps unfortunate, that every iteration of Blackmoor seems to have stripped away more and more of this unique character, leaving behind an increasingly generic D&D milieu.

My personal vision is that there is a source or cache of ancient technology deep beneath Castle Blackmoor. There is also, as established by Arneson, a “gate to Hades”. (These may be one and the same thing, but, at least for myself, I think not.) As the forces of Evil migrate up through the dungeon, they bring the Ancient technology with them, making its secrets available to the world above. It also means the further down you go into the dungeons, the more they become a technomantic, super-science complex.

The other thing I love about Arneson’s items list is how many of them unlock new game play (rather than just enhancing the existing cycle of play). When you get a dimensional transporter, the game is going some place it hasn’t before. If you get your hands on a borer, your whole relationship to the campaign changes. (I’m assuming that’s how the original Blackmoor players ended up constructing the Orcian Way, a tunnel straight from the first level of the dungeon the tenth.)

Other notes…

What about silver pieces and copper pieces? I found no evidence in the First Fantasy Campaign that Arneson was using either prior to D&D.

My vision of amulets and spell eggs is an example of leaning into Arneson’s science fantasy. When Arneson spoke of “manufacturing spells”, he was almost certainly just talking about “formula scrolls”, but I follow my inspiration here. Same thing with the nano-particle potions.

Next: Magic Swords