SECRETS OF BLACKMOOR
  • Main
  • TFOTT HOME
  • What Others Are Saying About The Movie
  • Reviews
  • Blog
  • See the Movie!
    • AMAZON PRIME
    • Vimeo Video on Demand
    • Purchase a DVD
  • Shop
  • CONTACT

Into Blackmoor Castle

11/2/2023

5 Comments

 
Picture
I hope this blog post finds all of you well.

While I normally like to write a complete article which has a lot of heavy research with supporting images  I am doing something different today. I will simply describe what we found without explaining too much about what it is. It's up to you to figure it all out this time.


I will also do something odd and try to be brief in my descriptions.

At Arnecon, Ken Fletcher approached me with a folder full of documents pertaining to his work when he was at Adventure Games. Ken felt it important to pass on these artifacts to someone who would help preserve and even convey some understanding about what these items are.

When handling stacks of artifacts, I am always careful to wash my hands first, and then I methodically go through the stack from top to bottom taking one sheet at a time and placing it face down after examining it. The goal is to keep the sheets of paper in the same order they were discovered.

The top of the stack were several character sheets for Ken’s, Adventures in Fantasy personas. As we looked these over ken explained that Dave Arneson was wanting to develop his Blackmoor setting to be played with the new game system that had just been published by Adventure Games.
Picture
Below that we found many hand drawn maps of Blackmoor. About half of these maps were designed to add detail to the hexes from the 1977 Judges Guild publication, First Fantasy Campaign.

Much deeper into the stack is when we discovered writings by Arneson. Some dating from the time when Ken was receiving these papers and others from much earlier.

This is when my heart rate went sky high as I knew I was seeing things I’d never seen anywhere before. The Ken Fletcher Collection is perhaps one of the most significant collections of Arneson writings I’ve seen to date. Many thanks to Ken for sharing this with everyone.

It’s also a great privilege to preserve these papers for future generations of gamers to be able to see.

Most significant of the all were two sets of post game write ups by Arneson himself.

It isn’t clear when these were written, yet, the content can be no other source but Arneson himself due to the letterhead and what the content reveals.
Picture
One set of papers is a detailed write up of the first invasion of Blackmoor Castle which contains some diagrams of the castle with troop placements. The other set of papers is what looks to be the write up that Rob Kuntz is referencing in a letter we used in Secrets of Blackmoor. Rob quotes Arneson when he says “Eeek It’s coming closer,” and also asks, “Who would include a balrog in their midst?” (I am paraphrasing as I can’t recall his exact statement right now.) 

As I always do when I make a major discovery, I pass these papers onto the research group. The core group is Dan Boggs, Ara Winter, Nick Lalone, and Micheal Calleia. I could hoard these items and publish alone, but I feel it is important to get the entire group looking these things over and providing their insights and criticism.

Presented here are some photos taken with my camera phone as I was in a hurry and had not scanned anything properly, just yet.

Dating the items is difficult as all we can do is cross reference them with other papers shared from several large collections. There are some indications that Arneson may have been using dungeon adventures before 1971 - but we really need to examine everything closely and take our time.

The images are samples of the maps as well as some samples from a 6 page write up of two early dungeon adventures.

That is all for now, enjoy the excerpts. 
Picture
Picture
Our ongoing research project is funded through the sale of movie rentals.

Please take the time to explore our website and also SHARE our LINKS.

Thank You.

https://www.tfott.com/secrets-of-blackmoor-d-and-d-documentary
5 Comments
Demos link
11/3/2023 09:33:30 pm

Very cool of you to share your discoveries, as always!

I particularly enjoy the redone maps - lots of new little details. Makes me want to run a new Blackmoor campaign.

Keep us posted on what Dan and the others think!

Reply
griff
11/4/2023 04:25:48 pm

Hey Demos!

Lots of debate on dating has begun.

I will let you know how it goes.

Griff

Reply
Binky Dyer link
11/13/2023 05:39:54 am

We’d be happy to see all of it… for our Blackmoor themed renfair development we’re designing for the Hillmore acreage!

Reply
griff
11/13/2023 03:17:02 pm

What are you planning?

Reply
Binky Dyer
3/24/2024 11:21:06 pm

Wonderments! Dave’s Caves. Gygax Grill. Renfair? WizardingWorld? KnottsScary? All of the above, with Dwarven Forge designs. Fingers crossed!




Leave a Reply.

    ​DVD'S, Books, T-shirts, games and more available on our store.
    Visit the TFott Store

    Author

    Secrets of Blackmoor is a Feature-length documentary about the birth of the “Mother of all Games;” Dungeons & Dragons.

    Archives

    January 2024
    November 2023
    October 2023
    July 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    September 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    March 2019
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Privacy Policy
All Contents Copyright © 2023 The Fellowship of the Thing, Ltd. - All Rights Reserved 
  • Main
  • TFOTT HOME
  • What Others Are Saying About The Movie
  • Reviews
  • Blog
  • See the Movie!
    • AMAZON PRIME
    • Vimeo Video on Demand
    • Purchase a DVD
  • Shop
  • CONTACT