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A Setting SupplementCompatible with the

Delving DeeperRules and all Editions based on

The original 1974 roleplaying game

Blackmarsh

Copyright 2011 Robert S. Conley

Written by Robert S. ConleyCartography by Robert S. Conley

Layout by Robert S. ConleyEdited by Tim Shorts, and Ken Harrison

Inspiration and Design, Dwayne Gillingham

some artwork copyright, The Forge, Maciej Zagorski, Pawel Dobosz, ClaudioPozas, Louis Porter, Jr. Design, Cerebus, Dover Publications, used with permission.

some artwork public domain retrieved from Wikimedia Commons at http://commons.wikimedia.org

Thanks to John Adams and his team for putting together the Delving DeeperRules

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IntroductionAt the dawn of roleplaying, the campaign and its setting were already established.One could say it preceded the RPG itself, as Dave Arneson adapted the ideas ofMajor David Wesely’s Braustein game for his Blackmoor campaign. Slightly later,Gary Gygax created Greyhawk. From the experience gained with these campaigns,the first roleplaying game was written. In all the years since, the campaign hasbeen the centerpiece. Yet few roleplaying games included a fully useable campaignsetting with their rules.

The limits of roleplaying games are only bound by the collective imagination of thereferee and his players. But first time referees are often daunted not only by theeffort needed to master the game rules, but also having to create a campaignsetting. Many have given the advice to start out small, to detail a town or villagenear a dungeon as the initial focus of the campaign. As the referee gains experience,he can later expand into the surrounding wilderness, fleshing out the campaignsetting with as much detail as he wishes.

As good as that advice is, it would help to have examples of what a fleshed outcampaign would look like. That is why Blackmarsh has been included in the DelvingDeeper Box Set. It is not meant to define the limits of the Delving Deeper world,but rather show its possibilities to show referees a way of organizing their owncampaigns and finally, as a source of inspiration.

Blackmarsh was designed to evoke the earliest campaigns of the world’s mostpopular roleplaying game. It takes place amid a wilderness full of danger andthe possibility of great treasure. It is organized as a numbered hex grid withlocales keyed to specific hexes. Locales are described briefly in a paragraph ortwo. Most locales are meant to serve as a springboard for the referee to createhis own details. In addition, geographical entities, organizations, and realms thatspan multiple hexes are described as well.

The Hex MapA grid of hexes, arranged in columns, make up the map. The hex numbers aregiven in a four-digit format (1213, 0114, etc). For example, 0211 means that itis in the “02” column (the 2nd column of the map) and is 11 hexes down.Sometimes the hex number will not be clear because of the terrain in the hex. Inthis case, you will need to count the hexes. Each map hex is 5 miles.

This system of using hex numbers allows a referee to quickly find the locales onthe map and what is near a location. This helps keep the map uncluttered andeasy to read. Geographical features are composed of multiple hexes and arelabeled directly on the map. They are listed alphabetically in that map’schapter.

Adventuring AdviceThis format is designed to make it easy to referee players as they explore theworld. With a list of locales, it is easy for the referee to determine what is overthe next hill and what possible challenges the players might face. In addition, sincethe players can largely be left to their own devices, this format allows the refereemore time to focus on the core adventures in his campaign.

Not every hex location has a description, and the background information is onlymeant to be a loose framework. Referees are encouraged to add material andmake the setting unique to their campaigns.

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It is suggested that to get maximum use of this setting that the referee look overthe locales, then chose the ones that best suit the campaign. Note the NPCs andtheir circumstances. Develop a timeline of events if the characters are not involved.Detail important locales and add new ones of your own design. Do the same forthe NPCs, and make notes on their motivations and personalities.

After each session of the campaign, review what the players did. Look at youroriginal timeline of events, see what impact their actions had, and make the neededchanges. Sometimes the players’ actions will lead to a new and unexpected chainof events.

The creativity of the referee comes by not forcing his players to follow apredetermined story, but to develop new and interesting consequences based onthe players’ actions. Use the NPC’s motivations and personalities to decide whichconsequences are the most likely and pick the most interesting.

The result is a campaign where the players feel they are forging their character’sdestiny within a living, breathing world. It will not only be fun and adventurous, butalso filled with surprises. Consequences will accumulate and spin the campaigninto unexpected directions.

OverviewBlackmarsh lies on the fringe of civilization, located around a large bay on thewestern edge of the Grey Sea. For a brief time, the frontiers of the great empiresencompassed the region, but they retreated centuries ago. Only a few outposts ofcivilization remain amid the dangers of the encroaching wilderness.

The bay that dominates Blackmarsh was created two millennia ago by the disasterknown as The Mountain That Fell. After The Mountain That Fell, strange and terriblemonsters appeared in the surrounding wasteland. The elves arrived in Blackmarsh,drove the fell creatures into hiding, and healed the land. However, after two anda half millennia, their power is waning and the monsters have crept back into thedark corners of the wilderness.

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A thousand years ago, the Bright Empire settled Castle Blackmarsh and for a brieftime the races were united in an alliance and pushed back the monsters. Then eighthundred years ago, the Bright Empire collapsed after being defeated by thebarbarians in the cataclysmic battle known as The Shattering. Blackmarsh was oneof the first regions to be abandoned. Left in the wake of the empire’s retreat wasa patchwork of realms ruled by petty kings and tyrants.

Since the Shattering, the frontier has slowly retreated. In place of the orderedsafety of the Bright Empire, monsters, barbarians, and other increasingly roamedwithout restraint. In the present day, those who come to Blackmarsh are moreinterested in viz, killing monsters, or the strange artifacts left by The Mountain ThatFell than establishing new settlements. The only force that stands against thewilderness is the Blackmarsh Rangers. Anyone who is willing to defend the landand its people are welcomed into their ranks.

The Mountain That FellIn the days when man knew only the working of stone and fought for their existenceagainst the orc and the goblin, the sky turned to ash and down fell the fierymountain onto the land. The world tore open and the grey waters rushed in. Thosewho survived the impact were lost as boiling clouds rushed out in all directionsleaving a wasteland in its wake.

The Mountain That Fell left a gift; magic. Near and far, those of learning andstrong of heart discovered new powers to shape the world. In the desolationaround the Smoking Bay the adventurous found viz, magic in physical form. Andthere was more, scattered amid the landscape were strange artifacts and strangercreatures that survived The Mountain That Fell. For a time men, dwarves, orc,goblins, and other races braved the dangers and fought each other in the wastelands.Then the elves came into Blackmarsh expelled the feuding races, drove the monstersout, and healed the land.

VizViz is a magical substance that takes many forms. It could be a flask of purespring water, a newly bloomed flower, or an iridescent rock. What all these itemshave in common is they are infused with pure magic. Viz can be used in the castingof spells or the creation of magic items.

Viz allows a magic user to cast spells without losing it from memory. The viz isconsumed in the process. One viz for a first level spell, two viz for a second levelspell, three for a 3rd level spell and so on. One viz is worth 100 GP towards thecreation of a magic item. The referee can use viz as treasure usable towards thecreation of a magic item in place of giving out more gold pieces.

The Wild NorthTo the north of Blackmarsh lies the Wild North, a cold land of dark fir and taiga.The mighty Belaya River runs through the heart of the land. Scattered through theWild North are the human Rurasin city-states.

SouthlandBordering Blackmarsh to the south is the region known as Southland. It lies on thefrontier of the Vasa Province of the Grand Kingdom and was recently opened forsettlement. The Kingdom of Bolzak in the White Mountains is the birthplace ofmany dwarves in Blackmarsh.

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Adaption NotesThe map for Blackmarsh is designed to work with the Lands of Adventure, a seriesof settings. For those with the Lands of Adventure product (or the earlier Points ofLight products from Goodman Games) Blackmarsh adjoins along the northern edgeof Southland and lies a hundred miles to the west of Wildlands. It is set during thetime period depicted in Southland, the era of the Grand Kingdom.

There are several possibilities to place Blackmarsh in your existing campaign. Thefirst, it’s located on the frontier of the “known world”. A once wide spread empire,that encompassed Blackmarsh, has since retreated or collapsed. Another possibility,Blackmarsh is located in an out of the way corner of the world where the land ismarginal for farming and mining. In times of decline, it is one of the first places tobe abandoned, or at best ignored.

The settlements of the four races (man, elves, dwarves, halflings) are distant coloniesof racial homelands. The remoteness of Blackmarsh means that these settlementsare effectively independent.

There are four distinct areas of men in Blackmarsh. The Ostrobards are new tocivilization, having shed their barbarian ways in the last century. There are themen along the southern shore of the Smoking Bay running from Castle Blackmarshin the west to Jorvik in the east. They are a surviving remnant of the Bright Empire.The Vasan Vikings have four settlements along the eastern edge of Blackmarsh.They arrived here after they lost much of their homeland to the Grand Kingdom.Finally, there is the Grand Kingdom which is starting to expand into Blackmarsh.

Several references are made to the dwarven kingdom of Bolzak which is found inSouthland. This can be ignored or replaced with a suitable dwarven kingdom ofyour choosing. Olden Hold is a base for the dwarves to explore Blackmarsh so itis not critical to have a kingdom immediately to the south.

The Blackmarsh Rangers are designed as an organization indigenous to the area.If a referee wants to incorporate the Ranger class this would be a natural startingpoint.

For the House of the Raven, a referee could use the dark elves from other fantasyroleplaying games. As presented in Blackmarsh, they are a group who believethat the elves should rule and enslave other races. This is considered abhorrent tothe cultures of Blackmarsh.Sam

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GeographyThe aftermath of The Mountain That Fell has had a major impact on the region’sgeography. The impact caused many cracks and shifts in the land, forming thenumerous swamps and estuaries of the region. Even after two thousand years, andthe best efforts of the elves, much of the shoreline is a confusing maze of waterways.

Alhert IslandThis long barrier island has little of note other than scrub and sand. The uniquePyrocantha bush grows in abundance here. Its berries can be harvested in the falland used to create a salve that when rubbed on armor gives a +1 bonus.Unfortunately, the salve lasts only a single battle, but additional doses can beapplied. Multiple applications of the salve do not have an accumulative effect.

Dragonbone PeaksThe western slopes of these high mountains took the brunt of the debris ejectedfrom the crash of The Mountain That Fell. The debris covers most of the valleys ofwestern slopes. In the centuries since, an extensive cavern system has formed. It isbelieved the network extends for miles along the western edge of the mountainrange.

Driftwood IsleThe currents of the Grey Sea caused this island to accumulate a large amount ofdriftwood as well as other objects from the wind and tide. Along the southeastpeninsula, the scattered remains of a ship can be found. Beneath a pile of seaweedis a body of a young man dressed in the style of a high noble of the GrandKingdom. His hand clutches a necklace with the royal seal.

Lanis RiverThe Lanis River flows north from Southland and is three miles wide when it entersBlackmarsh. The current is deep and slow and easily allows ships and barges totravel in both directions. Merchants travel between Castle Blackmarsh, Westguardand the dwarven kingdom of Bolzak. Sometimes the occasional Vasan longshipwill try their luck raiding farther south.

Pendar MountainsA spur of the White Mountains they connect a hundred miles to the northwest. Theyare known for the numerous goblin tribes that inhabit the little explored mountainvalleys.

Rednut RiverThis river gets its name from the number of Rednut groves growing along its banks.The Rednut is considered a tasty delicacy by the inhabitants and animals ofBlackmarsh. Every fall, the river surface is covered with floating rednuts as theydrop from the trees. This has the unfortunate effect of attracting hippogriffs andgriffons who swoop down and scoop them off the water. They are not abovetrying to take a more meaty bite from an unwary traveler on the river.

Sandstone IslandThe leeward side (facing Sheltered Bay) is a mass of sandstone that was heavilycracked from the crash of The Mountain That Fell. There are numerous ravines,gullies, and chasms throughout the length of the island. This is a favorite haunt forvikings and pirates to hide their treasure. Windward, it gradually fills in with sanduntil the beach dunes are reached.

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Sheltered BayA chain of islands absorbs the brunt of any storm sweeping in from the Grey Sea.It is also the only entrance into the Smoking Bay and the rest of Blackmarsh. Thereis a 1 in 3 chance per day of encountering a ship entering or leaving the SmokingBay.

Smoking BayThe Mountain That Fell created the Smoking Bay and for a century afterwards,pillars of steam rose from the waters and were seen for hundreds of miles away.The pillars of steam have since subsided, but the name remains. The sea bottom isa confusing maze of rubble with many areas unexplored. Many sea creatureshave moved in to take advantage of the chaotic terrain to hide.

The Black MarshesThe impact of The Mountain That Fell fractured this region forming the marshes thatgive the area its name. The marshes are fifteen miles north-south and over fiftymiles east-west. The impact left several large lakes connected by a confusingmaze of waterways and bogs. It offers a convenient place to hide for those whowant keep their activities away from prying eyes. The water is black in colorcaused by the minerals leeching from the surrounding soil and vegetation.

The Crimson HillsOver the centuries, numerous orc tribes conquered and were conquered amongthese hills. Their continual conflict has caused this region to be known as the CrimsonHills. The two main tribes are the Bateaters (1911) and the Bloodcrushers (2207),but there are several smaller orc clans and families hiding and hunting in the hills.

The Grey SeaThe Grey Sea is known for its storms, strong currents, treacherous reefs, and superbfishing grounds. After the collapse of the Bright Empire reavers, vikings and piratesdominated the waters, but the rise of the Grand Kingdom has largely broughtpeace to the Grey Sea. Only the Vasan Vikings and a few pirate ships remain tochallenge the might of the Grand Kingdom’s navy.

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The GreywoodsOver a thousand elves make their home in this forest. The forest gets its name fromthe Grey Ash trees, whose seeds in the fall, dry into a grey ash like color. Theseeds littering the forest floor remind the elves of the wasteland that once existedhere in the aftermath of The Mountain That Fell. The ash seeds are also a potentsource of viz, jealously guarded by the elves for their own use.

The Tave MarshesUnlike the Black Marshes there are not many lakes in the Tave Marshes. Instead,there is a network of estuaries connected by small steams and bogs. The region islargely avoided by the surrounding races due to the evil reputation of the weretigersthat dwell within the swamp.

The White MountainsThese majestic, snowcapped mountains stretch far to the northwest, and are thehighest known in the regions. The dwarven kingdom of Bolzak lies to the south andOlden Hold is the northernmost outpost.

The White Mountains teem with game, and great predators, such as griffons andhippogriffs, making their home in the high aeries. Stone giants are known to roamto the edge of the mountains, and although they don’t often attack, they will attacksmall parties of travelers.

Thornbrush IslandThe leeward side of this island is choked with groves of thorny bushes and hedges.Numerous game trails form an extensive maze that wild boars (2 HD) and othercreatures use.

The WestwallFarther south, the Westwall forms the western boundary of the Vasa Province ofthe Grand Kingdom. The northern terminus ends in Blackmarsh and is home toseveral clans of hill giants.

Locales0105 These are the ruins of Daur Anthar, the hold of the famed DwarvenIronmaster, Gamli Norreshield. It is here that he found a vein of metal rich in vizand researched its use in the forging of arms and armor. When the hold wasabandoned several hundred years ago, an earth elemental (HD 12) remained toguard the ruins.

0107 A band of brigands are bent on vengeance against the Rangers ofBlackmarsh and are marching on Blackoak Castle. Sigrun the Boneless (Ftr9), twocaptains (Ftr6,5), and three lieutenants (Ftr4) lead 115 brigands.

0211 Viewing the Halflings of Newcombe as easy prey, King Graptar theStupendous (treat as a hobgoblin and wielding a +1 warhammer) moved 150goblins into the Pendar Mountains where they established their new base.Surrounding the king are twelve guards (treat as hobgoblins) who protect Graptaragainst any usurpers.

0214 A mother black dragon (old, HD 8) and her child (young, HD 7) haveslaughtered a herd of deer and are in a meadow consuming the carcasses.

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Rumors 1 In Strangeholm, the halflings have uncovered a powerful sword of law

(F) 2 Goblins roam the Pendar Mountains (T) 3 Be careful wandering the Greywoods, the boundary between worlds is

weak there (T) 4 The elves have wild parties of debauchery in Castle Blackmarsh(F) 5 The Duke of the Ostrobards is noted for his wild parties (T) 6 The Wizard of the Isle will allow any who tells him a riddle he can’t

solve to stay on The Mountain That Fell (F) 7 Lord Mazardan of Olden Hold is offering 1,000 GP for any viz brought

to him (partially False, he will offer 200 GP) 8 King Ragnar’s grip on the throne of Castle Taldane is weak. Civil war is

about to ensue (T) 9 The Blackmarsh Rangers are recruiting new members (T) 10 Sir Causari of Inuacus Keep is gathering forces to overthrow the elves

(F) 11 Three beautiful maidens dwell in the westernmost lake of the

Blackmarshes, they will bestow their treasure on those who please them (F)

12 Beware of those who march underneath the Raven’s wings (T) 13 Actayl Oathbinder survived the clearing of the lighthouse and is now in

Jorvik raising an army (F) 14 A strange maelstrom appears in the western portion of the Smoking

Bay. One can see treasure at the bottom (T) 15 The Ostrobards are having trouble with attacks by hippogriffs (T) 16 Lord Mazardan hosts a lav ish banquet at Olden Hold every year. Only

the most successful of explorers are invited. (T) 17 Myrmidons of Sarrath are leading an invasion force into Blackmarsh (F) 18 So many orcs have died in the Crimson Hills that the hills are haunted by

their spectres (F) 19 Most of the magic-users from the time of the Bright Empire lived in

conclaves south of the Black Marshes. Their ruined homes are dangerous but many are remain untouched (T)

20 The Duke of the Ostrobards is going to hold a grand tourney the first in the Blackmarsh region (F)

0217 Oldan Hold, Pop: 342, Dwarf; Align L; Ruler: Lord Mazardan, Ftr6, L,Dwarf; Resource: Market.

Oldan Hold is the northernmost outpost of the Dwarven Kingdom of Bolzak. It wasfounded as a base for the search of viz by the Ironmasters of Bolzak. It’s becomean entrepôt where merchants all over Blackmarsh come and trade with the dwarves.There are 5d10 foreign merchants (human, elf, halflings) with their guards present.

Lord Mazardan was one of the most successful explorers and appointed as Lordof Oldan Hold two decades ago. He is also High Captain of the Northern Companyof Adventurers. An association of explorers looking for sources of viz. Every yearhe hosts a grand banquet in the company hall where members and their friendseat and tell tales of their discoveries.

0302 The inside of this bend on the Rednut River is riddled with giant snakedens. Every 100 yards there is a 3 in 6 chance of encountering either a hole to aden (1-4) or a giant snake (HD 2)(5-6).

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0309 This crumbling wizard’s keep dates back a thousand years to the time ofthe Bright Empire. An experiment gone awry left the keep infested with numerousochre jellies (HD 5), including one very large black pudding (HD 10, 60 hp) in theold great hall.

0318 A herd of mean tempered wild boars (HD 3) roam the slopes of theWhite Mountains here. Even hunters from Olden Hold (see 0217) avoid this valley.There is a 1 in 4 chance of encountering 4d4 boars per hour while in the region.

0407 Blackoak Castle; Sinerian, Ftr4/Mu6 L, Elf; 50 elves, 60 men, 40 dwarves,20 halflings.

This castle is the headquarters of the Blackmarsh Rangers, an organization dedicatedto preserving peace between the races and keeping Blackmarsh free from thedepredations of monsters. They consider the Brotherhood of the Raven their mortalenemy (see 1807). The Temple of Thor at Castle Blackmarsh is an ally especiallywhen monsters are involved.

The Blackmarsh Rangers were founded by the legendary Geran Blackoak fifteencenturies ago during the invasion of the Ostrobard barbarians. Geran Blackoakwas instrumental in restoring the peace. While he failed to unite them politically, atradition of mutual assistance took hold among the races.

The castle serves as the primary training ground for new rangers recruits as well asa meeting place for the biannual gathering of the captains. It contains workshopsand stores to supply the various ranger circles wandering throughout Blackmarsh.Clerics of Silvanus, the Forest Lord, are traditionally stationed at the castle toprovide aid and support. Thanks to the elves, one of the finest schools of magic inthe Blackmarsh region is found here. The school tends to study the practical ratherthan theoretical aspects of magic.

High Captain Sinerian has been the leader for over a century and expects to servefor several decades more. Her greatest challenges have been dealing with theraids of the Vasan Vikings from across the Grey Sea, and the rising power of theGrand Kingdom to the southeast. If the Rurasin city-states to the north unite, it mayprove another threat to the peace.

0409 Strangeholms, Pop: 292, Halfling; Align L; Ruler: Mayor Holbein Redleaf,0-lvl, L; Resource: Farm.

Strangeholms is a halfling village that surrounds a large hill south of the HolmsWater. The region around the village has rich soil for farming and the halflingssupply much of the food needed by Castle Blackoak (see 0407).

Mayor Holbein, along with his constable, keeps the peace, but struggles when theoccasional monster emerges from the ruined wizard keep (see 0309) to thenorthwest. In addition to being mayor, Holbein is a skilled painter and has had hiswork commissioned several times by the wealthy and nobles of Blackmarsh.

0413 A tribe of 190 kobolds dominate the forest north of the lake. High ChiefCruk rules the kobolds with the assistance of six other chiefs of the tribe (treat asgoblins). He also leads the kobolds in the worship of a strange glowing sword oflaw in an open grove at the center of the forest. When the kobolds first arrived,a century ago, they tried to take the sword, but it killed any who touched it.

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