What do Orcs eat in Moria?

[RobRobBinks]

Hi!

I realy like the idea, but have not bought the book, because I do not want to run it, and our group plays contemporary Vampire. Sorry that i cannot be of more help...from flipping through the material, it does look very cool...

I have one of the novels that I will be reading after the Clan Books...which may take me some time.

[Lt. Dade]

Sorry that i cannot be of more help...from flipping through the material, it does look very cool...

Thanks all the same. I wrote part of that book, and I was just curious to see what folks thought of it.

word,
Will

[Turin]

Yes one of the things I like about the Coda system is that player characters can start out as heroes.

My reference about players making DnD style characters to play in Middle-Earth is not necessarily aimed at the power gaming types, but more the style that they are created and played with.

For instance one player wanted to make a Noldo Magician, his self described archetype was "Freddy the Fire Mage". When I voiced some concerns about the character I was told that I am always too worried about the power of Magic in the games I GM. I then showed how in fact the "Fire Mage" was perhaps the weakest of all the characters as far as combat was concerned. We did have a discussion about how many spells described as being cast through out the writings of Tolkien. Once I had explained my view of how Middle Earth is and yes that the more subtle spells are actually more powerful , the players decided to go with the campaign style flow. This how I view ME, if the “Freddy the Fire Mage” fits into your campaign style great; it is your campaign after all.

Just a note and one that is more on the original topic of this thread, in the ICE (Iron Crown Enterprises) MERP supplements they usually added information about these background topics. You usually had information about what people/creatures did for work, food, war and recreation. These were, for the most part, created by the ICE writers since Tolkien didn’t go into a great deal about the specifics. I think/hope that Decipher will do the same and fill in the pieces that are not in the professor’s writings, but are needed for roleplaying.

[Lt. Dade]

You know, Turin, you hit just the word I was looking for. Subtle. I understand where you're coming from with D&D-style characters in Middle-Earth, and I agree with you completely. What I meant to focus on isn't that LotR characters start off more heroic, exactly, but that they sort of naturally end up exploring some of the skills that support the simpler, more ponderous travelogue stories that Tolkien told.

A ME swordsman might be excellent and fearsome, but she must still choose her battles and fight with a different tact than a D&D fighter, don't you think?

word,
Will

[Ineti]

Originally posted by Lt. Dade
A ME swordsman might be excellent and fearsome, but she must still choose her battles and fight with a different tact than a D&D fighter, don't you think?

Definitely. If only because actions tend to have real consequences in ME, and the simple fact that healing is hard to come by in ME. A LOTR warrior can't just go swinging into battle like a D&D fighter backed by a cleric can.

[Turin]

Originally posted by Ineti
Definitely. If only because actions tend to have real consequences in ME, and the simple fact that healing is hard to come by in ME. A LOTR warrior can't just go swinging into battle like a D&D fighter backed by a cleric can.

Yes very true, after the characters got into several battle that weren't needed to complete their mission they found out that they would have to rest for almost 2 months to get the dwarf to 0 wounds. Now they are alot more carefull about who/where/when they get into fights. Which is what I was wanting in the first place.