Middle-Earth primer?

[AslanC]

Some of my players really don't know ME that well and feel that while they are having fun discovering it, they would love to have some base knowledge that their characters would know.

Does anyone have any links or pdfs that would be a good ME Primer?

[Phantom]

I don't know of any web based stuff, but you can pick up ME source material at any book store, there have a few recent publications that are very reasonably priced.

[Ineti]

I don't have the link handy, but do a search for the Encyclopedia of Arda. That's a great online source.

I'm sure you could search for primers or timelines or the like too.

All else fails, the FOTR Sourcebook and the TTT Sourcebook do a very nice job of summarizing those two books.

(Though it would be less expensive to simply buy the books and read them, or go to the library and borrow them to read.)

[ben hur]

As Ineti said, the Encyclopedia of Arda should be extremely helpful to you as a Narrator.

Not sure what kind of books you should read to help your players learn about it (except the books themselves as Ineti suggested but they might not have too much time ).

[AslanC]

As I have stated before (in other threads) I use the Encyclopedia of Arda to almost abusive levels

I guess what I am looking for is a simple over view of the Third Age or what have you. Bits on the races and the lands. Important places, things of common knowledge, etc.

Nothing like this exists, that's cool.

Seems a shame though

[whiteknight]

Have them read Chapter 1 of the Core Rulebook.

[ben hur]

Originally posted by AslanC
As I have stated before (in other threads) I use the Encyclopedia of Arda to almost abusive levels

My bad, I forgot.

If any of us feel that we need to do the Twelve Step Process To Get Yourself Off Of The Lord Of The Rings, I think we'll have to first do the Twelve Step Process To Get Yourself Off Of The Encyclopedia Of Arda!

[AslanC]

Originally posted by whiteknight
Have them read Chapter 1 of the Core Rulebook.

You gonna shell out for the 5 extra copies I'll need?

[AslanC]

Originally posted by ben hur
My bad, I forgot.

If any of us feel that we need to do the Twelve Step Process To Get Yourself Off Of The Lord Of The Rings, I think we'll have to first do the Twelve Step Process To Get Yourself Off Of The Encyclopedia Of Arda!

No doubt eh? Man am I ever hooked to that site. Even then though I wish they would add more detail to their write ups, verbose them up a bit maybe. They can sometimes be a bit short or even leave out minor details.

Still all in all a great site

[whiteknight]

Originally posted by AslanC
You gonna shell out for the 5 extra copies I'll need?

A nice narrator would let their players borrow their book for an evening. Besides, it's only 23 pages long. A person could read that in half an hour in your presence if you're afraid to loan out your copy.

[Ineti]

Originally posted by AslanC
I guess what I am looking for is a simple over view of the Third Age or what have you. Bits on the races and the lands. Important places, things of common knowledge, etc.

Heck, if you want something really abbreviated, have them read the timeline in Appendix B of ROTK.

Reading Appendix A and B (about 60 pages) should give anyone a nice overview.

[AslanC]

Originally posted by whiteknight
A nice narrator would let their players borrow their book for an evening. Besides, it's only 23 pages long. A person could read that in half an hour in your presence if you're afraid to loan out your copy.

Yeah sure, but you don't know my players

1] I need the book between every two weeks to prepare.

Mike - This man reads at a snails pace. I am not joking. He takes hours to read 10 pages.

Tieu Thuy - A full time student and as such read when she can.

Anike - I bought her Gormanghast for X-Mas last year, something she really wants to read. So far she has read book 1.

Robin - He is fine, knows enough to get along

Anthony - Resident Tolkien Head of the group

So that is why I don't lend them the book, I would never get it back from Mike, TT and Anik would never read it and Robin and Anthony don't need to

[AslanC]

Originally posted by Ineti
Heck, if you want something really abbreviated, have them read the timeline in Appendix B of ROTK.

Reading Appendix A and B (about 60 pages) should give anyone a nice overview.

I'll suggest it. Thanks for the heads up Ineti

[ben hur]

So what you're asking for is not just a timeline, a summary of the events, or even the first chapter of the Core Book - but something like Concerning Hobbits, which is at the very beginning of the Fellowship of the Ring (the book), but for Elves, Men, Dwarves, and everyone else as well.

Pretty much Concerning Life, Tolkien's Universe, and Everything.

Is that right? Not sure where you'll find books/sites with just the right amount of detail; but good luck to you!

[AslanC]

Well I guess at the extreme level sure.

Actually Whiteknight is righty (hey that ryhymes) Chapter 1 is the perfect thing. Just not in a perfect format

I may have to make photocopies of the book to achieve this end.

Thanks everyone for the input. It is always appreciate, even the smart arsed kind