Changing Tolkien's world by role playing

[afro-elf]

I just thought up some levels of changing Tolkien's world due to role playing.

I am assuming that any kind of role playing is altering Tolkien's world in "some" manner.

Level one: These are the most superficial changes. They really do not affect the story in any noticable way.
ex.
a)You are a Hobbit that has heard of Old Bilbo Baggins but never met him.
b) You are a Ranger of the North, but you have never really had contact with the Heir of Isildur

Level two: These do not affect the world per se or they have a minor influence. They may give your character a little more importance.
ex.( using the LOTR text)

a) You were a Ranger within the Grey Company
b) You were an Elf or a Dwarf that accompanied Legolas or Gloin to Rivendell
c) You fought at Helm's Deep , The Pelinnor Fields, or were stationed at Cair Andros
d) You were in Beregond's company

Level three:
Breaking from "cannon" without a MAJOR change to the world.
ex.
a) My using brown skinned Avari.
b) Adding some more towns or cities.
c)Being related ( cousins or nephew etc closeness) to minor characters


Level four
This is the pushing it level. It's possible but it getting a tad extreme.
ex.
a) You are an Elf of Valinor that accompanied Glorfindel and the Blue wizards over in SA 1600. ( not a returning Elf like Glorfindel though)
b) Unwittingly you helped Sauron in the guise of Annatar to forge the Seven and the Nine.
c)Glorfindel was your personal trainer in arms.
d) Galadriel was your personal trainer in magic
f) You are the child of a "Major" character were it was not explicitly stated whether they had addition or any childern at all. You are a sibling of Legolas. the offspring of Maglor or Daeron.

Level Five
Here the changes are blantant and world changing.
ex.
a) You found the ring
b) you were a member of the fellowship
c) You killed smaug.

Level Six
Darn right outreagous
ex.
a)You were sent to ME to replace Gandalf.
b) You forged the Simirils
c) The Vala consult you


I would like your thought in general and additions( esp the first four levels)

[Menelvagor]

Good thoughts AE, but are you proposing this a guide to RPing, or just as a classification system for characters?

[Lizra]

I could go with it thru level three, those sound fun. After that, nope! There could be stories on the unfinished business, like how Moria got cleaned out after the fall of Sauron, or what went on in Lothlorien. Obviously, I don't know much about role playing, but I do like creative writing.

[afro-elf]

Originally posted by Menelvagor
Good thoughts AE, but are you proposing this a guide to RPing, or just as a classification system for characters?

Probably more of the latter. It was just some random thoughts I had on gaming in ME. I'm more of the 1-3 guy. Or a mix thereof.

[Elvellon]

Personally I think it depends of two major factors; what the storyteller wants to do and what the players want to do.

I think that the storyteller should make clear at what level he wants the game to run; does he wants a low level game, with the War of the Ring as a background? Does he want a high level game with the characters interacting with major NPCs? Whatever his choice he should make clear his options at the beginning of the campaign.

It is also very important to take into account the desires of the players, after all the success of a campaign depends of both the dedication of players and storyteller. So an attempt of compromise between expectations should be attempted.

Personally I’ve played several campaigns in Middle Earth, the best was at what you described as level four. It was during the First Age, most players had valinorian elves characters belonging to lesser noble houses. They interacted with the grandees of the Noldor and the dwarves (and even going so far as some characters marring into the royal houses, with lesser members of those houses not described by Tolkien), caring out the commands of their suzerains and acting to smooth the differences between the Free Peoples. It resulted very well; the campaign was heroic at the highest level without altering the major plots.

[afro-elf]

Elvellon,I would say that a first age campaign is a more high level campaign than the LOTR. There are FAR more heroes of great stature. It sounds like your game would have been fun. Maybe when I'm rich, I'll hire you as a professional GM.

[Elvellon]

It may be interesting to refer that one of the most intriguing concepts for a campaign (from a storyteller friend of mine) was to play the LotR itself as a campaign. We could choose the characters (that would be those of the book, but not limited to the main characters), I was supposed to play Gorfindel as a member of the fellowship, but real life got in between and the campaign never took on, pitty.

[afro-elf]

Given that campaign I would have chosen him to. If he was taken then Gildor. Finally one of the sons of Elrond.

[Human#3.141592653]

Has any one here read the TLA threads?
I'd say that thier a level five, but when handle (or mishandled as the case may be,) with the proper care a good story, if bit unorthodox (sp?! ) can unfurl.
If you set down diffenet rules and have points and reasoning to the changes that you have made, I think all's fine a dany.
What I can't stand is when people change thing setting for some ego trip: "Oops! I saved the Fellowship! Go me!"

[Snowdog]

I have participated in story Rp writing up to the third level. My character being one of the rangers who rode with the Grey Company, but was unnamed in the books. nothing was changed from Tolkiens write, but the 'lives' were filled in more, like what they were doing while Aragorn was out on the wilds and serving in Gondor, etc. There is alot of room for 'filling in' these stories without affecting anything written. I say its for the most part good up to the third level.

I have seen too many RPs try and take on Level 4 or 5 and I justcant get into it at all when this sort is present.

[Duddun]

I think a lot of these lvls can be good, if properly done. lvl 6 would be bad, it changes the history too much.

[Ninquelote]

I really don't think the 'adding towns or cities' is a good idea, because each town and/or city has a long history and background and is there for a reason. Simply adding in another place would change alot, if you tried to fit it in.

Anyway, I consider myself a roleplayer of the 1st or (maybe) 2nd level, and if any of you want to contact me through AIM, you can.

[Aralyn]

I'm currently in one thats a level five. Member of the fellowship. I like those cause its cool to pretend but in some ways it could be bad if you change a main character's personality.