Blackmoor Setting?

[johnsemlak]

It just occured to me that the Blackmoor setting should be a WotC setting and thus publishing it should involve some licensing or whatever from WotC. Are Zeitheist Games licensing it from WotC a la Ravenloft from S&SS or Dragonlance from Sovereign Stone?

I assume that this version of Blackmoor will be completely independent of Greyhawk, as well as Mystara, to make the licensing issue simpler.

 

[The Sigil]

It just occured to me that the Blackmoor setting should be a WotC setting and thus publishing it should involve some licensing or whatever from WotC. Are Zeitheist Games licensing it from WotC a la Ravenloft from S&SS or Dragonlance from Sovereign Stone?

I assume that this version of Blackmoor will be completely independent of Greyhawk, as well as Mystara, to make the licensing issue simpler.

My understanding - and I can't cite sources off the top of my head - is that Dave Arneson/Zeitgeist got the go-ahead to develop the Blackmoor setting free and clear of WotC licenses... though likely with the provision that it be clear that "this Blackmoor" != "Greyhawk's Blackmoor."

--The Sigil

 

[Michael Tree]

Does WotC even own the IP for Dave Arneson's Blackmoor setting? The only book TSR ever published for it was a pamphlet, back in the early days when D&D was just a collection of pamphlets.

 

[The Sigil]

Does WotC even own the IP for Dave Arneson's Blackmoor setting? The only book TSR ever published for it was a pamphlet, back in the early days when D&D was just a collection of pamphlets.

Actually, in the early-to-mid-80's, TSR released modules DA1-DA4, all about Blackmoor - they were (co) written by Arneson. Blackmoor was said to have been on the main "Boxed Set D&D" world (which when transferred into 2e became the abomination that is "Mystara") - it was the civilization 4,000 years prior to the "current" civilizations in the boxed sets and shows up in several of the later D&D Gazetteers (GAZ1-GAZ14) and figures VERY prominently in GAZ 13 ("Shadow Elves").

Blackmoor has a lot of links to the D&D world... and IIRC, the "Rights" on who owned it were very mixed up and sticky and nobody had clear ownership... and if memory serves, WotC (at a time when it was governed by Dancey, Adkinson, et al) basically signed off on giving all of "their rights" to the "non-Greyhawk Blackmoor" back to Arneson rather than continue to wrangle over a setting that hadn't gone anywhere anyway (due to precisely the fact that neither party could effectively write stuff for it based on muddles "who owns what" considerations).

--The Sigil

 

[Dustin Clingman]

Blackmoor has a lot of links to the D&D world... and IIRC, the "Rights" on who owned it were very mixed up and sticky and nobody had clear ownership...
--The Sigil

Hey Everyone!

I am glad people are still interested in Dave Arneson's Blackmoor despite our unfortunate delays. I can't speak much on the issue right now, but rest assured that all will be revealed very soon. Dave Arneson's Blackmoor is completed and awaiting finalization of negotiations with WoTC so that we can take it to print.

One thing that is definitely for sure is that Wizards owns the Trademark to the word "Blackmoor". Its been registered for a while and is not in dispute.

More to come as soon as it can be passed on.

Dustin

 

[Scorpio]

What a sad mess- like owning a water fountain in the desert, and not wanting anyone to drink from it, 'just in case'.....

 

[TheAuldGrump]

Blackmoor was one of at least two settings that vanished when TSR acquired them. Does anybody remember the Islandia setting? At least the Blackmoor setting had some titles see print, Islandia vanished away with ne'er a ripple. (Too bad I had enjoyed the setting when it was the property of The Companions, but Roger E. Moore apparently took exception to the fact that the villains were actually running around doing evil things rather than sitting in their dungeon waiting to be slaughtered... This was abot the same time that their R.I.P. game became vaporware.)

The Auld Grump, who still owns Curse on Hareth and Brotherhoood of the Bolt/Plague of Terror...

 

[Scorpio]

....It's all part of a sad, dark chapter in the young history of RPG..........LOL...that a game borne of freedom, creativity, and disenstablishmentarianism would fall to such a fate....

 

[Ranger REG]

AFAIC, Wizards is a lot more helpful and willing to negotiate than covetous TSR, who would simply said "NO!" to Arneson.

The fact that Arneson is the creator of Blackmoor and would treat this as "his Precious," I'm sure that Wizards and Arneson will come to an agreement about the use of the trademark.

 

[Dustin Clingman]

Absolutely! WoTC is being very accomodating, its just left to the paperwork now. In fact I have found the current WoTC staff to be really awesome people who are genuine and really care alot about the history of D&D and its creators.

I can't wait for you guys to see this book.

Dustin