A question on Lore
There appears to be a lot of contradiction on Lore, from the Core Book to the FotR Sourcebook to the Maps put out by Decipher, etc.
Now, just to clarify up front, I understand in great detail the actual borders and regions and boundaries for the following lands. The question I/we have results from the contradictions that I spoke of.
One of my players, who just became a Ranger, wanted to take a "Lore" for the area we had just adventured in, Rhudaur. This makes total sense, but it does not appear that it is one of the "areas" that is specified by the "Lore" Skill. For proof I give you numerous characters in the Sourcebooks that would have intimate knowledge of that region, specifically Elrond, Aragorn and Arwen, but they do not. Nor is it listed in the suggested "Realms" under the Lore Skill (p. 130).
They seem to have both "Eriador" and "Arnor" as larger "Overall Regions", which makes sense (even though the kingdom of Arnor is a thing of the past until Aragorn reinstates it in the Fourth Age).
If you look at the Official Maps, however (also put out by Decipher), it makes it seem as if "Eregion" is the "Overall Region" in which many of these fall. They even give the "Title" of the particular map that shows the Northwest of Middle-earth to Eregion.
So, what should we do as far as the Lore: Realm Skill? Do we break it down into smaller sections (clearly that is what some do, specializing in The Shire or Rivendell), and ignore some of the larger sections (like Rhudaur, Rhovanion, and the like). Or has anyone clarified this particular issue to make it more strealined.
I'm fully aware that we can "do whatever suits us", too. The reason I'm coming here with this is to see if there is a more uniform "accepted" way that's been chosen.
Thanks in advance to everyone for their help in this regard.
Doug Taylor
Member of Decipher's Hall of Fame
Currently running The One Ring RPG. I also occasionally run Villains & Vigilantes (our campaign is in year 25) and WEG d6 Star Wars (both games are mostly on hiatus) and an annual game based on The X-Files (using Conspiracy X).