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Post by havard on Oct 29, 2009 0:23:52 GMT -6
Here is a list of monsters that appear in the FFC, but which I havent seen used much (if at all) in other D&D products & additions:
Troll, True
My impression is that True Trolls actually resembles what became the D&D standard troll, but that some other lesser Troll existed.
Dragon, Brown (Richard Snider)
Brown Dragons were later added to Classic D&D by Frank Mentzer (Master Rules)
Dragon, Purple
Listed between Red and Green dragons, perhaps as an indication of their power? Purple Dragons live in Jungle and Swamps.
Tarn
Various variants (War, Riding etc) exist.
Balrog
Later appearing as Balor.
Ent
Later appearing as Treants
Orc, Red Eye
Orc, White Hand
Orc, Isengarder
Orc, Mountain
Orc, Mordor
Serpent, Great
-Havard
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Post by snorri on Oct 29, 2009 4:47:56 GMT -6
The difference between True trolls and lesser trolls appears in Chainmail, and I think in the lbbs too - but less clearly. True trolls is the standard D&D troll, inspied by Poul Anderson Three hearts & Three lions. Lesser trolls have the same stats than ogres, but I guess they're more or less Tolkien trolls.
Tarns are identified as rocs in FCC. They come obviously from the world of Gor, from John Norman, where Tarn riders plays an important role. I guess they haven't been used in other campaigns because of copyright (and the sulfurous reputation of John Norman's novel !).
The five tribes of orcs are from Chainmail too.
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Post by havard on Oct 29, 2009 8:31:18 GMT -6
The difference between True trolls and lesser trolls appears in Chainmail, and I think in the lbbs too - but less clearly. True trolls is the standard D&D troll, inspied by Poul Anderson Three hearts & Three lions. Lesser trolls have the same stats than ogres, but I guess they're more or less Tolkien trolls. Thanks! I will check Chainmal for details. For my own campaign, I am considering reversing the names since Trolls are already identified with the regenerating type, and make True Trolls, a non-regenerating version. Indeed. I have no love for Norman's ideas either, though warriors riding gigantic birds of prey is a fascinating concept. I am wondering of the Gor series might have provided a further inspiration for the Duchy of the Peaks and I am debating with myself whether to make Tarns (or Rocs) more common in that realm. Yes, I thought I had seen those elsewhere. Arneson connects the tribes to the four corners of his map: Isengarders: Northwest; these will most likely be the Orcs of the Egg of Coot. IMC I am renaming them Iron Orcs, since Isen is said to mean Iron. Red Eye Orcs: These are placed to the Southwest, in the Plains of Hak. Im thinking these are Desert Orcs. I was going to name them Red Orcs, but to avoid association with the Mystara Red Orcs, I'm going with Crimson Orcs. White Hand Orcs: These are placed to the Northeast. I assume these Orcs will be from the lands of the Skandaharians. I am naming these the White Claw Orcs. Mountain Orcs: Mountain Orcs live in the Southeast, probably in the Stormkiller mountains and Dragonhills. Orcs of Mordor: These live outside the map according to the FFC. I don't know where, but I will assume they are from the mountains of Thonia. I am renaming them Death Orcs (Mordor->Murder->Death). Possibly these could be linked to the Balebourn Orcs of the 3E version of Blackmoor? In the case of Ents/Treants, my impression is that the Treants of Blackmoor are much more active than those of other settings and quite frequently involved in the wars that rage in the North. They usually appear as allies of elves or the Wizard of the Woods. Havard |
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Post by snorri on Oct 29, 2009 9:51:52 GMT -6
I have no love for Norman's ideas either, though warriors riding gigantic birds of prey is a fascinating concept. I am wondering of the Gor series might have provided a further inspiration for the Duchy of the Peaks and I am debating with myself whether to make Tarns (or Rocs) more common in that realm. I don't neither. But during the beginnings of Blackmoor campaign, only the first volumes has been published, and - after reading the two firts only - it seems to still be classical planetary romance, and not the BDSM icon it will become later. I guess some others elements could have be inspiration sources - maybe in the blackmoor technology and some people. |
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Post by havard on Oct 29, 2009 12:45:09 GMT -6
I don't neither. But during the beginnings of Blackmoor campaign, only the first volumes has been published, and - after reading the two firts only - it seems to still be classical planetary romance, and not the BDSM icon it will become later. An interesting observation! I think you are right. Both Gor and Blackmoor seem to work on the basis that they are fantasy worlds existing within a sci fi universe. Also, this fits well with Greg's comment in another thread about the first characters in Blackmoor apparently being modern types transplanted into a fantasy world... Edit: I guess this is called the Sword and Planet genre.... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sword_and_planetHavard |
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Post by snorri on Oct 29, 2009 16:41:47 GMT -6
Amon Blackmoor questions, I was searching for any Republic in Blackmoor, but it don't seem there is any. I was surprised by that quote :
It looks exactly as the starting point of David Zeb Cook "Master of the desert nomads", maybe the most sword & sorcery module ever published by TSR (dark cults, dead gods, desert nomads, chtulian creatures, no demi-humans,...)...
This module start in "the Republic", but despit it has been linked to Darokin by the maps, there is absolutely no evidence it's actually set in Darokin in the text (the name never appears) and the names suggest more an indian ambiancy than anything else. Could it be possible t link X4 and Blackmoor by this quote, despit the lack of Republic in this world?
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Post by snorri on Oct 30, 2009 8:16:37 GMT -6
I was sure I allready saw the purple dragon somewhere!
from Chainmail, p. 35.
At the very begining, the purple worm was still a dragon-like creature, and that's what he's still in Blackmoor. It's a matter of monster evolutionnism.
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Post by havard on Nov 2, 2009 6:44:53 GMT -6
I was sure I allready saw the purple dragon somewhere! from Chainmail, p. 35. At the very begining, the purple worm was still a dragon-like creature, and that's what he's still in Blackmoor. It's a matter of monster evolutionnism. Wow! Good catch! I really should read up on Chainmail! I had no idea that the Purple Worm started out as a Dragon. This gives us the opportunity to include both a Purple Dragon and a Purple Worm as two separate monsters into the setting!  Havard |
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Post by aldarron on Feb 6, 2010 21:35:36 GMT -6
Here is a list of monsters that appear in the FFC, but which I havent seen used much (if at all) in other D&D products & additions: Serpent, Great -Havard Prolly a giant snake, as in the randomly generated giant animals and giant insects described in Monsters and Treasures. Arneson used a lot of giant versions of animals and insects in his early adventures. The FCC Blackmore dungeon has lots of these type monsters with randomly generated AC and HP stats in accordance with the method described in M&T. I would not be surprised if it was one of the parts he wrote. |
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Post by havard on Feb 7, 2010 4:51:55 GMT -6
Prolly a giant snake, as in the randomly generated giant animals and giant insects described in Monsters and Treasures. Arneson used a lot of giant versions of animals and insects in his early adventures. The FCC Blackmore dungeon has lots of these type monsters with randomly generated ac and up stats in accordance with the method described in M&T. I would not be surprised if it was one of the parts he wrote. Interesting observation!  Havard |
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