Middle Earth Game Ideas

[Jeph]

What are some ideas for games set in Middle Earth? Not just your "go kill some Orc in the Iron Hills" type games, but those that could grow to the level of the Hobbit or even the Trilogy...

I'll start:

Flight of Dragons:

Some ancient evil, long forgotten in the wastes of the furthest reaches of Forodwaith, has crept stealthily into the Withered Heath and begun its scheming. Dragons of all sorts have begun to travel southward, some out of fear, some under the command of this new menace. Stage one of the campaign would be a classic Tolkien-style trek to the Withered Heath, winding through the Gap of Rohan, Fangorn, Lorien, the Misty Mountains, Mirkwood nad the Mountains of Mirkwood, possibly past Erebor and through the Iron Hills or Grey Mountains; collecting allies, enemies, and info along the way. The second part would involve battling the Forces of Evil, most likely including a dragon or two and all manner of other twisted creatures. After a climactic battle, a session would be devoted to wrap-up and dealing with the aftermath.

Your turn.

[SpoDaddy]

This is one of my big problems with roleplaying in middle earth. The setting is so much defined by the events that took place in them that it's relatively hard to write epic new material for it. Decipher's LOTR books don't seem to make it any easier, as all they cover is stuff from the books. For example, the monster/magic item book only has monsters/magic items that appeared in the novels or movies. I understand that they might be weary of expanding Tolkien's world, but at the same time they're writing a roleplaying game based on it. People like to do original things in RPG's and have original characters. I can't think of anything more boring than wandering around middle earth as a generic elf killing random orcs with sting while wearing Aragorn's ring and Legolas' bow.

Star Wars got around this problem by allowing for a huge expanded universe

[Mithras]

I've always thought that the period in which Eriador was three separate kingdoms has much more scope - much like your typical fantasy realm. And the power of Angmar trying to corrupt and then co-opt the most-eastern realm is followed by outright warfare. A great setting for an epic game!

[Etepete]

Originally posted by Mithras
I've always thought that the period in which Eriador was three separate kingdoms has much more scope - much like your typical fantasy realm. And the power of Angmar trying to corrupt and then co-opt the most-eastern realm is followed by outright warfare. A great setting for an epic game!

Yupp, I concur. Got a lot of good memories from doing the Cardolan - Angmar conflict. Nice feel of desperation, and if you decide to go with MERP instead of LOTR (at least when it comes to background) you'll find a lot of good material.

For an authentic Lord of the Rings feel, I think the best thing is to give the characters some desperate quest (typically in the form of a journey. A diplomatic mission perhaps?). Doesn't need to be very epic, only important to the characters and near impossible to complete succesfully, then face the characters with as much hardships, misery and horrifying adversaries as possible. Give them a feel theyre always on the run, always hanging on to life by the bearest thread. That'd capture the spirit of the books, I'd say, and do for some brilliant roleplaying. Oh yeah, and make combat fast, deadly and crippling.

[The Ent]

Originally posted by Etepete
Oh yeah, and make combat fast, deadly and crippling.

I expect you to be using MERP, then? Thumbs up, I like MERP!

[Ineti]

There are some very good LOTR game ideas here:

http://forum.trek-rpg.net/forumdispl...?s=&forumid=23

[The Ent]

I prefer the following:

Renegade Hillman leaves Dunland behind to see the world (well, the parts of the world not covered by dreary heath, especially those parts where women actually bathe sometimes). On his way he encounters strange people (some...er, many of wich he slays), treasure (most of wich is lost, thrown away on women or booze, or left behind when chased by, say, angry Rohirrim ), women (lots and lots and lots and...) and weird ruins from the Elder Days (frequently haunted by ancient horrors of some kind). He's also a pirate (runs his own Corsair ship!), a Ranger killing Woses (well...they look like Orcs to him, what? ), a Haradrim chieftain and, well, a thief in Umbar. Sometimes he runs into scary wizards. Those "sometimes" are nasty. He survives though. When he turns middle-aged he tires of adventure, leads a coup and becomes King of Gondor

-the Ent, trying to be the funny

[Bergh]

hehe, i have not solved this one my self yet, it seems that the LOTR universe/world is all planned, and playing in a setting after aragon is made king (ohh no i spoiled the end), is rather boring is you look at it with "fantasy" eyes, not many orcs to slay and major evil wizards to kill.

Playing before the books is my best guess, it could be epic to have to players end help the "good guys" at the black gate (more spoilers), seeing the epic heros of the tales save the world.

you "hero"s could maybe be having a little fellewship doing some other minor job for the wizards, maybe helping the dwarfs against the orc armys in the north.

[Bergh]

Anyways making an ending to the campaign that ends with the books, would be rather wild for the players, and maybe they should see the 3rd LOTR movie a couple of days before the End-of-the-road-scenario.........its could be epic telling to to players:
You have helped saved the world, and you now all attend Aragons crowing, and on the way down the crowd, Aragon personaly says: thank for you special help friends, and touching the players on the shoulders.....before he walks further among the crowds....

If you pull this off, i don't think the players will feel it to be to corny, 1st rule is simple making them fell that they have earned it all in the end, by hard work, working as a team and so on.