Black Speech

[poosticks7]

Hi guys need some inspiration/advise.

In my last game my players discovered the notes of dead sorcerer (a man of Dale who died 30 odd years ago, shot by a Hobgoblin). The warden in the group noticed some of the writing contained black speech - he could make out the odd word. I put the notes in the game as a potential hook and the players want to follow it up, one of them is a scholar.

Now then first question: Who among the Wise would you say could read Black Speech. THe wizards obviously, Elrond maybe, Thranduil I wasn't sure about (or another Wood Elf). That's the characters first stop, to see if they can discover what is written.

Now the idea behind the sorcerer is that he was a student of dark lore, he either had direct contact with the Necromancer or one of his minions. He died when a band of Hobgoblin invaded his keep - which is to the north - northeast of Mirkwood.

Now I need some inspiration for what could be in the notes. I have decided that half the notes are in his own coded writing, the rest (that in Black Speech) is something else. What could it be? Once one of the wise reads it for them, the players can try and crack the code with riddle rolls.

Can you help me genrate some ideas please kind folk of the forums.

[Yusei]

There are folks in Wilderland that descend from people who used to serve the Necromancer, but no longer do. Some of them, like the Erringmen, are described in "the Heart of the Wild" around page 48. Maybe some elders from those tribes can still understand Black Speech.

(BTW, I don't think many elves would willingly learn Black Speech)

[Tolwen]

Now then first question: Who among the Wise would you say could read Black Speech. THe wizards obviously, Elrond maybe, Thranduil I wasn't sure about (or another Wood Elf). That's the characters first stop, to see if they can discover what is written.

IMO only a very few of the greeatest Loremasters existent would be able to know that language, as it is extinct beyond the Dark Tower in the Third Age. Here a quote from Appendix F is very helpful (again it shows how crucial the Appendices are for the basic understanding of Middle-earth):

It is said that the Black Speech was devised by Sauron in the Dark Years [i.e. the Second Age from ca. 1700 to 3440], and that he had desired to make it the language of all those that served him, but he failed in that purpose. From the Black Speech, however, were derived many of the words that were in the Third Age wide-spread among the Orcs, such as ghâsh 'fire', but after the first overthrow [by the Last Alliance] of Sauron this language in its ancient form was forgotten by all but the Nazgûl. When Sauron arose again, it became once more the language of Barad-dûr and of the captains of Mordor. The inscription on the Ring was in the ancient Black Speech, while the curse of the Mordor-orc in II, 53. was in the more debased form used by the soldiers of the Dark Tower, of whom Grishnákh was the captain. Sharku in that tongue means old man.
-LotR.Appendix F

In essence, it's hard to imagine how someone outside the Barad-dûr garrison, Sauron's primary captains or the greatest loremasters of the Wise (and perhaps Dúnedain) would have any knowledge of the Black Speech worth mentioning. And the common soldiers of even the Dark Tower would not even have knowledge of its real form, but only a debased derivative (perhaps similar to Westron which was a debased form of Adûnaic).

How this is applicable to gaming is another point of course

Cheers
Tolwen

[poosticks7]

Sorry yes I should have been clearer I meant it was a debased version of Black Speech not the ancient form.

I wanted it to be a language they would have difficulty reading.

My main headache is what exactly is in the notes. What are they about? Where did it come from? etc etc. Where does it lead the adventurers.

[Sprigg]

Sorry yes I should have been clearer I meant it was a debased version of Black Speech not the ancient form.

I wanted it to be a language they would have difficulty reading.

My main headache is what exactly is in the notes. What are they about? Where did it come from? etc etc. Where does it lead the adventurers.

I'm new to this forum and to TOR (bought the books last week and I've been poring over the AB for several days now), but I figured I'd chime in with my own idea for the notes, if that's all right.

Could the notes contain, perhaps, instructions concerning a ritual or incantation of sorts similar to those possibly practiced in Dol Guldur? I don't remember much about such things occuring in Middle-Earth, as I've only recently dusted off my old Tolkien books, but that was my first thought. Or perhaps, more mundanely, information on goblin troop movements or maybe the discovery of one of the PCs having a price on his head, similar to what occurred with Thorin in the more recent Hobbit movie?

[Tolwen]

Sorry yes I should have been clearer I meant it was a debased version of Black Speech not the ancient form.

I wanted it to be a language they would have difficulty reading.

My main headache is what exactly is in the notes. What are they about? Where did it come from? etc etc. Where does it lead the adventurers.

As I see it from Tolkien's remarks, even the debased form is not widely used, but only by the troops stationed in the Dark Tower (in the close sense the fortress and not Sauron's power in general).
As Barad-dûr is still being built at the time of TOR, BS would probably be quite restricted geographically-wise. Perhaps important sub-captains like Grishnakh who go out on missions might bear it beyond the borders of Mordor at this time. An evil sorcerer NNE of Mirkwood is a tough nut, as he's far away from any easy to explain sauronic strongholds in this era. Beyond the location, his background might prove worth exploring. Who was he and why was he so far off the way (for someone using the lingua franca of Sauron's stronghold)? If he really was in connection with Dol Guldur, he could have been sent north a couple of years ago to keep an eye on Smaug and discern whether the dragon could be used to some effect by his master.
In that case the BS notes might contain his personal thoughts about Smaug and his potential as any ally, weapon or whatever. Or they might be absolutely trivial and represent only his diary. Even the bad guys have a day-to-day life and might want someone to know about his great time later... Not every hint must be a trail to a "real" secret plot against the Free People

Cheers
Tolwen

[Otaku-sempai]

Perhaps some of the notes could be written in Adûnaic, the parent tongue of Westron that was used in ancient Númenor. Few would speak it by the end of the Third Age--mostly those of the upper classes of Gondor. It would be the equivalent in Middle-earth of using Latin or Classical Greek.

[DavetheLost]

I agree with Tolwen that the Black Speech, in any form, was quite rare by the late Third Age. Orcs had a few words of it mixed in to their speech, but even they mostly spoke in the Common Tongue, iirc this is in part because they spoke widely varying "native" dialects that were not mutually intelligible.

For anyone in Wilderland to be using the BS implies a very strong connection to Sauron, even the Nazgul spoke in the Common speech. I could see a debased form of the BS being used as a secret sorcerers' tongue, if sorcery is wide spread enough in your Middle Earth.

I like the idea of the notes being about Smaug. He was a potent force until just before the time of the game. Notes suggesting an alliance between the Dragon and the Necromancer, which Gandalf feared enough to set Thorin &Co on the road to the Lonely Mountain, could help show the players how close they came to disaster. I like my game worlds to have a history. Not every grim discovery needs to relate to the present or future.

[poosticks7]

Yes I think you may be right. I also like the idea of it being notes about Smaug, I agree I like to have history in my world.

I think an elven loremaster may be able to translate such debased black speech. The idea that the enemy had eyes close to smaug is actually quite appealing. Thanks guys.

Also ties with the idea he was shot by Hobgoblins - who I imagine are a bunch of rogue orcsies gone feral, with no ties at all to the Eye.

Now I just need to think of some adventure ideas - for after they make their discovery. Hmmm, back to the drawing board lol.

[Mim]

You have some great responses, & since you share that you like the Smaug link, how about this entry from UT:

‘You may think that Rivendell was out of his reach, but I [Gandalf] did not think so. The state of things in the North was very bad. The Kingdom under the Mountain and the strong Men of Dale were no more. To resist any force that Sauron might send to regain the northern passes in the mountains and the old lands of Angmar there were only the Dwarves of the Iron Hills, and behind them lay a desolation and a Dragon. The Dragon Sauron might use with terrible effect...”

The Dark Lord could send a servant to that area to spread his influence. It's a stretch, but since you've already introduced the Black Speech, it may save you time & still lead your heroes toward that minion you mentioned .