My Middle Earth (Circa TA 2892)

[G'broagfran]

I am currently running a Middle Earth campaign set in the third age the year 2892. I use a lot of the old 80's MERP (middle earth role playing) supplements for maps and ideas but they did a very poor job with theme and design in my opinion. The maps are great but most of the rest of the modules are junk. I have resorted to making up period appropriate material from various resources on my own because no one else's vision of Middle Earth at this time seems to match what I want to do. I am using the Role master Standard System for game mechanics. There are currently 3 players. The character makeup is an Elf of Lorien named Daeglin who is an Enchanter and two Dwarven brothers Dili and Noli who are warriors. I also have two human NPC's with them Martin Feathers a human warrior and Hunter (Edilmyr) a Dunedain Ranger. They are all in the 4th to 6th level range right now and have been operating in the Bree area. They players themselves are quite familiar with the source texts and I am able to concentrate on role-playing and storyline without having to spend any time making sure they aren’t trying to go after the ring or any other such stupid thing. I chose this time period for various reasons such as Sauron being around but in a lesser state as well as the exiled Dwarves of the Lonely Mountain and Smaug being around. As a GM it’s always nice to have a Dragon like that around to stir things up. Another advantage is that while there are some differences between this time and the war of the rings in the books its not nearly as different as being set in another age. Most of the MERP supplements seem to focus on the time of the third age when Fornost was waning and the Witch King threatened the Northern kingdom. This is a good time period but just doesn’t appeal to me as the time I have chosen. I’m just mentioning this as a way of introducing myself to the board if anyone here plays in or GMs a Middle Earth campaign please feel free to tell me about any ideas or experiences you have had that might help me out.

[Gwaimir Windgem]

Yes indeed. I'm trying my hand at Narrating with Decipher's LOTR RPG (despite the fact that it came out after the movie, far more Tolkien-esque in my opinion than MERP), and would be quite grateful for any advice from folk on setting up a nice, Middle-earth Chronicle.