Adventure starter - Blackmoore

Inspired by mease19's dungeon starters and the new steading rules, I've created: Adventure starter - Blackmoore

This grew out of my misremembering the name of Battlemoore during a Bloodstone Idol adventure. It's packed with fictional triggers. You could use it as place to begin a new adventuring party; to flesh out a resupply stop at a steading between the real adventures; or combine it with some Adventure Fronts to have some sweet urban adventures.

It was damn fun to make! Enjoy!

Rather wonderful Oli!
Is the d6 under places and noise meant to be a d10? Or do you just count a d6 worth of places/smells and then cross them off. Either way is kinda cool :)

Since the fog is the subject of a move, I reckon it needs mentioning in the impressions or questions, especially what somethings(s) lurk there.

I think given the evocative places and things you've gone to the trouble of making, perhaps a goal to 'make maps like crazy' too?

The more I read it, the more I like it! I just may steal this as the the new Battlemore pre-bloodstone starter :)

I think d6, that way the higher options only come up on latter rolls.

I think d6, that way the higher options only come up on latter rolls.

Bingo.

Noofy, the goals are straight from the first session section in the book. GM moves could fit here instead, but I find I remember to look for them more than the first session moves.

Nice tip with the fog. I've added fog in the noisome move and under the impressions too. The lurkers I was thinking of muggers and enforcers, thiefs and drunkards, as much as ash spiders and phase rats.

 I like the way the first move eventually leads you into the city (although the word first in the trigger suggests that I only roll once).  I'd be tempted to push play toward a chase scene so I could roll a bunch of times in quick succession.

Also, it looks really cool.  I love the front art!

The Well of Goblins, at first, seemed like it might better be an impression.  Then, then I realized it was really a flask and that the nobles always shove a piece down it's neck at supper and guffaw at the silliness of the tradition.  Little do they know that if they stopped, a flood of tiny goblins would emerge seeking their due.

I like the way the first move eventually leads you into the city (although the word first in the trigger suggests that I only roll once).  I'd be tempted to push play toward a chase scene so I could roll a bunch of times in quick succession.

Also, it looks really cool.  I love the front art!

The Well of Goblins, at first, seemed like it might better be an impression.  Then, then I realized it was really a flask and that the nobles always shove a piece down it's neck at supper and guffaw at the silliness of the tradition.  Little do they know that if they stopped, a flood of tiny goblins would emerge seeking their due.

Yeah, the "first" is just meant to convey that the districts don't randomly rearrange themselves everytime the players return. Though that would be kind of cool... You just roll it when the players are navigating the place for the first time.

Thanks, the Blackmoore tree was something I daydreamed up and made with some pixel bashing. The second page images are straight from the inimitable Telecanter.

Yeah, I moved that Goblin Well round a bit myself. I angled for a broad use of "Thing". And whose to say it's not portable? Have you tried to move it?

But I do like your take; all allegory made real.

Fun fact: So I'd rolled up an instinct and knack for Vromme and got:

Instinct: to raise dragons
Knack: baking

I'm WTF.

Then I muster. Clearly Vromme must really badly want to build a dragon golem. But he's not very good at it.
"Vromme, construction is really not like baking... Vromme, I'm warning you: stop thinking about food. You know you're implanting these thought patterns. Vromme! Stop drooling."

I bet Vromme tasted just like fresh baked apple pie.

I like the way the first move eventually leads you into the city (although the word first in the trigger suggests that I only roll once).  I'd be tempted to push play toward a chase scene so I could roll a bunch of times in quick succession.

In line with your comments, I've changed the wording of the first Places move to:

When entering a part of Blackmoore you don’t know, roll d6 then cross result off.

That change definitely sorts out the problem I had with that move.

I agree that the "Agenda" and "Goals" sections aren't exactly necessary.  Since they're so universal, I'd prefer to have them on their own sheet, along with my list of non-setting specific Moves, and use the space on this setting sheet for more specific information.

I think I'm in love with Stinky's Map.  It's like the Da Vinci Code without Dan Brown's complete and total lack of knowing-what-he's-talking-about and Tom Hanks' terrifying hairline!

I'd really like to do a move that goes something like:

When you do your best to evade the city guard, roll+Int.  On a 12+, count d6 spaces - this is where you find a safety.  On a 10+, count d6 spaces - this is where you get a bit ahead of them but you can still hear them searching.  On a 7-9, count d6 spaces - this is where they've almost got you.  On a miss, count d6 spaces - this is where they've cornered you.
Whenever you roll, cross that place off the list.
1. A narrow alley ending in a short wall
2. A melon cart making it's way through the crossroad
3. A covered market filled with tent stalls.
and so on...

That way once the guard starts chasing you you get to describe the character of the city right off the bat.  You could also use it to draw out the path of the chase and then use that as a seed (roads, squares, this is where you run through a house to the next street over, etc.) for mapping the city.

I might just use this for next Saturdays game. The starter is wonderful. Reminds me a bit of Vornheim.

That change definitely sorts out the problem I had with that move.

I agree that the "Agenda" and "Goals" sections aren't exactly necessary.  Since they're so universal, I'd prefer to have them on their own sheet, along with my list of non-setting specific Moves, and use the space on this setting sheet for more specific information.

I think I'm in love with Stinky's Map.  It's like the Da Vinci Code without Dan Brown's complete and total lack of knowing-what-he's-talking-about and Tom Hanks' terrifying hairline!

You're probably right about the agenda goals section, though I do like the idea of having all I need to start an adventure on just two sheets. And I don't think I can remind myself enough about the agenda.

I'd really like to do a move that goes something like:

When you do your best to evade the city guard, roll+Int.  On a 12+, count d6 spaces - this is where you find a safety.  On a 10+, count d6 spaces - this is where you get a bit ahead of them but you can still hear them searching.  On a 7-9, count d6 spaces - this is where they've almost got you.  On a miss, count d6 spaces - this is where they've cornered you.
Whenever you roll, cross that place off the list.
1. A narrow alley ending in a short wall
2. A melon cart making it's way through the crossroad
3. A covered market filled with tent stalls.
and so on...

That way once the guard starts chasing you you get to describe the character of the city right off the bat.  You could also use it to draw out the path of the chase and then use that as a seed (roads, squares, this is where you run through a house to the next street over, etc.) for mapping the city.

This is so sweet! Chase scenes are difficult precisely because they require continuous terrain change to remain interesting.

I think there's lots of applications for this style move. The main draw for me is I need not prep a map but still have a solid inspiration of generating a map in play.

I might just use this for next Saturdays game. The starter is wonderful. Reminds me a bit of Vornheim.

Thanks!

If you do use it, I'd be keen to hear how it goes. Because I'm hoping the elements in the starter aren't too scattered. Urban environments are so complex and variable, so I went for a broader approach, with many little hooks, rather than focus on a few threads. I guess my philosophy is that, like rain falling over the plain, the elements will come together and carve out their own path in play, no matter how far apart they were when they first fell.

Quote from: Murder-of-Crows on July 10, 2012, 02:54:51 PM

I might just use this for next Saturdays game. The starter is wonderful. Reminds me a bit of Vornheim.

Thanks!

If you do use it, I'd be keen to hear how it goes.

You know that I have this bad habit of posting actual play reports in my blog? ;)

You know that I have this bad habit of posting actual play reports in my blog? ;)

Yep, and I have this clandestine habit of reading them! :P

This is the AP: Something Rotten in Blackmoore.