
As rule development proceeded, the Blackmoor campaign continued, and began coordinating with a parallel campaign known as Greyhawk run out of Lake Geneva by Gygax and his circle. That fall, Arneson demonstrated the game for Gygax, and work on Dungeons & Dragons commenced. In the summer of 1972, Arneson famously wrote an article detailing "Facts about Black Moor" for Domesday Book #13, which brought his innovations to the attention of the rest of the Castle & Crusade Society. As demand for Blackmoor increased, Arneson fielded out refereeing duties to other players in his local circle. Players became increasingly drawn to the innovative dungeon exploration mechanic that Arneson invented by 1972, that had become a major focus of the game. Early descriptions of the activities of the Blackmoor campaign circulated in a news sheet called the Blackmoor Gazette and Rumormonger. Others chose early in the campaign to side with the forces of evil, such as a wizard played by John Soukup. Mike Carr, for example, became a village priest, and then Bishop of Blackmoor.

As the game progressed, more of Arneson's Napoleonics players joined in increasingly diverse roles. Duane Jenkins, for example, ruled the Northern Marches, first as a bandit chief, later promoted to Baron as Sir Jenkins. The Barony of Blackmoor formed the centerpiece of the game, and the various players attached to it (Bill Hoyt, Marshall Hoegfeldt, Duane Jenkins), initially represented the forces of good.
CITY OF SECRETS VS INNER WORLD GAMES SERIES
The next issue of Corner of the Table promised "the start of the 'Black Moors' battle reports, a series dealing with the perils of living in Medieval Europe." Initially, The Northern Marches was set up to be an ongoing multiplayer wargame, with the potential for Braunstein games. It will feature mythical creatures and a Poker game under the Troll's bridge between sunup and sundown. There will be a medieval "Braunstein" April 17, 1971, at the home of Dave Arneson from 1300 hrs to 2400 hrs with refreshments being available on the usual basis. An announcement in Arneson's fanzine Corner of the Table describes the first game in the campaign, one built on the model of Dave Wesely's " Braunstein" series of games: Arneson assumed responsibility for the far northern reaches of the Great Kingdom, and it was there that he began to stage medieval games that led up to the Blackmoor setting. Within months, the leadership of the Society had decided to form a fictional "Great Kingdom," with parcels of land awarded to and contested by members of the organization. Dave Arneson was among the first to join the Society in April 1970, and many other members of his Twin Cities gaming group followed, including Duane Jenkins, Bill Hoyt, Ed Werncke, Mike Carr, and Marshall Hoegfeldt. The origins of the Blackmoor setting lie in the Castle & Crusade Society, a subgroup of the International Federation of Wargaming specializing in medieval miniatures combat the group was initially driven by Gary Gygax.
CITY OF SECRETS VS INNER WORLD GAMES MOVIE
Boggs suggested a possible influence of the movie The Black Room, as inspiration for Blackmoor as it was aired twice before the first game, and it was mentioned by Dave Arneson as a movie he was possibly watching while reading Conan. Blackmoor was a campaign centered on individual player characters capable of a series of progression, which encouraging cooperative play to succeed. Initially inspired by Conan novels and gothic horror, Arneson expanded the setting around the eponymous town, castle, and multi-level dungeon to include ideas from The Lord of the Rings and Dark Shadows and applied the Fantasy Supplement rules from the Chainmail game.

Blackmoor began as a development of David Wesely's " Braunstein" games following Duane Jenkins Brownstone (Old West) variant and Arneson's own wargaming sessions, into which he had begun to introduce fantasy elements.
