I bought the game book a long time ago out of curiosity. I knew it may have a very slim chance to get used to but nowadays I have started think that maybe if I can come up with a good enough chronicle I could persuade some gamers into the game.
CODA itself is very familiar, we play Star Trek game now and then. Most of our gaming time goes into Forgotten Realms / D&D 3e.
That's the biggest problem. I have (and I know that players have too) quite high expectations if we go into Middle Earth game. Game should feel like it is part of Tolkien's world not just D&D in another setting. That would definately ruin Middle Earth.
So, ideas anybody? =)
As for time era I am still uncertain. I migth like to do 2nd age or 3rd age game. 4th age would have it's appeal (unwritten future) but that would be the most low fantasy setting of all those.
Granted, some dangers still would exist in Middle Earth but nothing very grand. Humans of course would start to expand and 4th age would almost certainly rule out possibilites of using elves as characters but not entirely.
Surely 4th age would give a very free setting.
In 2nd age would be a lot of action (or anticipation of it) and in 3rd age waiting for future..
Apart from high fantasy style I'd like something more 'real'. Middle Earth was never very flashy in magic and when monsters roamed it's hills they really roamed there. They did not wander.. =)
First I would need to find a suitable place for setting. Gondor and Rohan have their appeal and so does Bree.
Most of Middle Earth (west) is quite unihabitet I gather. How have you handled this in your chronicles? For example in 4th age, how did humans expand their circle of influence over wild lands?
And for chronicles itself. I don't want a monster hunt campaing this time. We have enough of those in Forgotten Realms.
Surely, there can be orcs and other nasties but big wars and expectations have been present a lot.
Maritime adventures would be interesting but how do you get a lot of appeal there? =) Sea voyages were adventures of their own but for ordinary people sea voyages are usually passed quite smoothly.
What would make a group of people (2 to 6 say) to go on and leave their home turf? In Tolkien style and feel.
First suggestion: Seeing that you want a very 'Middle-earthy' chronicle (which I applaud! ), I wouldn't suggest you add any new spells to your game. The magic system is nigh on perfectly suited for LotR!
Second suggestion: An interesting time would be in the North lands, during the Third Age. Erestor on the Decipher Boards posted a solid chronicle summary for someone, you could take a look at that.
Originally posted by FDor What would make a group of people (2 to 6 say) to go on and leave their home turf? In Tolkien style and feel.
One theme might be recovering an ancestral item or homeland - a common-enough theme from fantasy games, but one particularly true to the post-War of the Rings setting.
Dwarves are eager to reclaim Moria now that Durin's Bane is gone - though it is still teeming with Orcs.
Esgaroth and the lands surrounding the Lonely Mountain were torn by war during the final battles, though this battle brought the Dwarves and the Dale-folks closer together.
One "realistic" touch you might make is to ask players to play characters who aren't necessarily fighters - such as Craftsmen, Loremasters, Nobles, and others who might help in the reconstruction in the wake of the War.
As King Ellesar is struggling to unite his domain, and to aid those subjects who need it most, characters could be sent to an area hard-hit by the war, and find themselves embroiled in trouble which was not fully eradicated.
Unfortunately, too, this is a time when many old rivalries are likely to be surfacing once more - perhaps a group of Rohir are dispatched to the far north, to Framsburg, to see what has befallen their old homeland, abandoned long ago. Now inhabited by other Northern races kin to Dunlendings, or even Beornings, perhaps some difficulties might ensue.
Or a Dwarven embassy might return to Meduseld demanding some share of Scatha's treasure - which they have seen pieces of while aiding the Rohir rebuild Helm's Deep.
My suggestion is to review the trilogy and see the buried bits of backstory or lore which could be revisited - the Appendices and the post-war chronology is rich with seeds for adventure and conflict. Even Tolkien's tenative Fourth Age story "The Return of the Shadow" (I think that is the title) has hints of Sauron-worship in Minas Tirith long after the War of the Ring.
Just looking at the Lord of the Rings itself... what made the Fellowship gather in Rivendell? Here's a review:
Frodo: Taking the Ring to Rivendell, where it would be temporarily safe from the Nine.
Sam, Merry, and Pippin: Helping their good friend Frodo reach Rivendell.
Gandalf: Meeting with Frodo at Rivendell, since he couldn't meet him earlier, being delayed at Orthanc.
Aragorn: Is the Heir of Isildur, and Heir to the throne of Gondor, and the time is coming to reveal himself.
Boromir: Had a dream, went to Imladris to seek counsel, for it was both disturbing and cryptic.
Gimli: War threatens Erebor, and the Dwarves are not sure whether they should parley with Sauron or try to fight a perhaps impossible battle.
Legolas: The creature Gollum, who was under the watch of the Elves, has escaped from Mirkwood.
So right there, you've got extremely varied reasons for gathering, including mission to Rivendell, meeting at Rivendell, a powerful warrior is ready, counsel on vision, counsel on war, and bringing of news.
I don't think I'll necessary allow any kind of mages in my chronicles. After all only Istari were wizards.
But if chronicle is set to second age then maybe.. It was witch king of Angmar who became Nazgūl lord, a magincian of some sort.
Currently in Forgotten Realms one onegoing campaing in set onto the North (Silver Marches and around). It would feel like an instant repeat to make characters in yet another - quite possible following - campaing fight the nature. Of course this time it would be more difficult since there would be no spells to aid them at all. But they don't have those now either (or don't use them until they really really must).
But somewere not that North.. I take that under consideration.
Jason, thanks for a bunch of ideas. In my mind I had thought of idea of having noble player characters. Loremasters don't appeal to me that much but craftsmen and other more realistic people do.
Hopefully I can stay away from tresure hunting and come up with something more .. dramatic or deep.
Sending characters (including a noble or nobles) to calm down far corner of kingdom would be nice. A bit similar like Robin Hood. King has been away and now local lords have claimed control of land. That could make a nice start, or would it? If characters get there without army (since there have been no open hostilities and king wants to work towards peace - not to suppress his opponents with swords) but with a few guards or servants they would have to figure their way to win the situation.
I think if you realy want to play with the concepts in the books, the only way to do that is to run an alternate timeline game, as recently discussed in the thread of that name. How else are you going to battle Sauron, withstand the temptation of the One Ring, and parlay with the great and good of Middle Earth such as Elrond, Galadriel and Gandalf? It's these characters and challenges that make the setting, and only an alternate timeline game gives you full free reign with them.
Originally posted by simon_hibbs I think if you realy want to play with the concepts in the books, the only way to do that is to run an alternate timeline game, as recently discussed in the thread of that name. How else are you going to battle Sauron, withstand the temptation of the One Ring, and parlay with the great and good of Middle Earth such as Elrond, Galadriel and Gandalf? It's these characters and challenges that make the setting, and only an alternate timeline game gives you full free reign with them.
Simon Hibbs
Hmmm... I don't think it's a 'must' to paly on an alternate timeline. It's a fun method of play, but not the only fun method. One of the coolest aspects of our games is fitting it into events from the books.
Originally posted by simon_hibbs I think if you realy want to play with the concepts in the books, the only way to do that is to run an alternate timeline game, as recently discussed in the thread of that name. How else are you going to battle Sauron, withstand the temptation of the One Ring, and parlay with the great and good of Middle Earth such as Elrond, Galadriel and Gandalf? It's these characters and challenges that make the setting, and only an alternate timeline game gives you full free reign with them.
Simon Hibbs
I would have to side with ben hur on this one - alternate timelines are sometimes fun, but to my way of thinking, they deny the pleasure of playing in a licensed setting, which is the flow of events and the way things transpired. Too many changes, and suddenly the world is a very different place.
Originally posted by ben hur Hmmm... I don't think it's a 'must' to paly on an alternate timeline. It's a fun method of play, but not the only fun method. One of the coolest aspects of our games is fitting it into events from the books.
I'm not saying it's a 'must', but that if you realy want to play with all of Tolkien's toys, it's pretty much the only way to do it. I'm sure you can play great games while sticking with the established timeline, but within pretty severe limitations. Your characters will always play second fiddle to those Tolkien wrote about.
Also the orriginal poster said he favoured a 4th age game because of it's unwritten future. An alternate timeline has an unwritten future, but doesn't restrict you to the 4th age.
I agree with another poster that if you change too much, it's not the same world anymore, but you can create a fascinating alternate history setting by changing only a single thing, and then adding a bit of extrapolation. But let's face it, extrapolation is the bread and butter of any game set in middle earth.
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), I wouldn't suggest you add any new spells to your game. The magic system is nigh on perfectly suited for LotR!
