USH'S LORD OF THE RINGS GAME- Main Rules and character creation (Updated 2011)

Below is the latest update of the rules for this very old-school RP game. Although I have done my best to present character creation as straightforwardly as possible, this system does require a certain amount of attention to get things together. It's over three decades old after all! However, it does have its own charms in many ways.

I'll put some basics of the main rules systems up sometime soon. For now, we have here how to create characters and level up (levelling up details are in the Professions section, as levelling up is identical to the process you go through as part of making your character)

Rules Basics

When making skill checks I roll a d100, giving an option between 1 and 100. I add your skill, the higher the better.

In combat I also subtract your foe's defence. Higher the result, the more damage you will do. The more armour you wear, the more likely you are to be hit, but the less likely you are to take heavy damage.

General combat weariness loses you stamina, but heavy wounds can easily cause severe problems which can take you out a fight quickly.

Helmets and Greaves give you penalties but mitigate the effects of some of the nastier wounds.

General reminder- in this game, you get hacked to pieces if caught point-blank using a bow.

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ORIGINAL RULEBOOK REFERENCES

I have simplified many parts of this game. The 1981 source material is obscure in places, especially with tables.

But as the materials I am working from come either from that book or work from my brother related to it, some obscure references might be in. I replaced some, but replacing all might take some time.

Here is the explanation of some strange terms or abbreivations you might see:

Concussion Hits/Hits: What I call Stamina

Defensive Bonus/DB: Defence. I just shortened it

Movement and Manoeuvrability/MM rolls: I renamed these 'Mobility', because it was snappier and saved me having to type that lot out each time.

Offensive Bonus/OB: The name for any skill that results in an attack. That's all the Weapon skills, Directed Spells, and also Base Spell, even though there is so little that affects Base Spell I didn't include it in the creation process (save the note that Mages get a bonus with it)

Resistance Rolls/RR: Actually, these are in and you all have scores in them. They are set by race. Elves score the best, btw. It's just a complication I didn't want to bother you with yet; there is a background choice that improves it. Your Resistance rolls give you some measure of defence against extremes from elements, and also poisons and disease (Elves are totally immune to disease, btw). Inanimate objects make Resistance Rolls too, which some spells refer to

Table References: e.e. ST-4, or U-7. The main rulebook is stuffed full of tables which appear in almost random order. I can't possibly re-print those on the boards and have tried to remove all references. if they are still in... well, they refer to some game mechanic or another that I will take care of.

CHARACTER CREATION

Intro

Welcome to the 2006 version of the character creation for my Lord of the Rings Game!

Lord of the Rings here is a very ‘old-school’ game, based off a system called Middle-Earth Role-Playing (MERP) designed in 1981, and very much in contrast to the hip, modern systems that my other games use. There is deliberate purpose in this- that it is nice to have a variety of styles, and the classical feel suits Lord of the Rings very well.

However, time and experience have shown that it is a nightmare to administrate on-line. Therefore- although the final system will be working in the same way as it has for two decades- the process that players need to get into the system and using it is now being highly simplified.

Character creation is still a somewhat involved process, but should be much more easy for everyone to understand.

Important notes

LOTR is a much more gritty and realistic game than my other ‘franchise’ games, Star Wars and Matrix. This is party because it owes at least as much to the books as it does to the films, which were much less of the extreme heroics we associate with modern films. It is also because the manic, mook-killing style of those franchises is a mite too excitable and wild to suit Lord of the Rings, in which combat is always a squalid, desperate affair of lost limbs and dead comrades.

For those of you who have only seen the films, or whose memory of the books is hazy, or are very much used to my other games, here are four important points:

1. Some players will be very much more dangerous than others in a fight. No matter which way you cut it in the films, Aragorn is a better swordsman than Merry- yet they are both heroes. It is highly recommended that everyone creates a character that can at least handle himself up close, but when some big Troll turns up, it’s time for the more intellectual characters to take a brave step backwards…

2. It doesn’t just cut across race, either. Compare Aragorn and Boromir. No doubt, Aragorn is an excellent swordfighter- but his skills cut many ways. He tracks and leads and can stalk and hide. Boromir… well, mostly he can fight, and damn well, and in the end, better. If you want to make a character who can do LOTS of things, don’t be surprised when someone who builds a Boromir-type can out-fight you.

3. The characters in the books and films are mighty heroes indeed. In this game, you are not! You are a cut above the rest, but in comparative terms, where Aragorn is a General or even King, you start of more like a Lieutenant or Sergeant. Eventually, you can make your way up to an Aragorn kind of level- but that progression is part of the point of the game. So you must remember you are creating relatively down-to-(Middle) Earth characters!

4. THERE ARE NO MOOKS! Some weak breeds of Orc or basic soldiers are relatively easy targets, but even they can hurt you. Combat in Lord of the Rings is vicious. Orcs are feared killing machines and to see one is to see the prospect of death before you. Take fights very, very seriously.

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STEP 1- RACE

Race is obviously a very important matter in Lord of the Rings. Aside from your culture and background, in this game it sets your basic skills, and physical/mental abilities.

There is no equity here. Some races are more powerful than others, and that is simply how it is in Middle-Earth. Weaker races make up for this by getting extra background points, to give them more non-character related options.

ELVES

Eldest of the races of Middle-Earth, the Elves have a long and twisted history that is close to being incomprehensible. By the time of the films- and even of this game, set 1000 yeas earlier- their days of high adventure and drama are done. The Second Age finished that; this Third Age is the Age of Man, and the Elves are dwindling. Of course, save through violence, Elves very rarely actually die, so this dwindling seems to take the form of a slow loss of power, and of them emigrating away from Middle-Earth to the mysterious, half-real lands far to the West, where half their kin went out to long ago.

Elves are beings of great stature and power, and by art and will often perform tricks or create objects that Humans see as ‘Magic’, though Elves have no comprehension of that word. For an Elf, a rope that unties itself is not a magical rope, simply a well-made one.

Elves are also beings of a mysterious dual nature, with bright shining spirits that fundamentally oppose the forces of darkness and evil in the world. They have long been the enemies of such darkness, though opposing that is now the job of Man. This brings inherent difficulties as Men are prone to evil themselves. Elves, incorruptible, are not, although the race of Orcs was made from vicious experiments on captured Elves.

Elves are also of a very different culture to Humans. They live more or less forever but to Human eyes they live intensely lazy lives. This is hard to quantify- they farm, hunt, patrol and even fight with the same urgency as Man, they create the finest structures the world can see, but in their centuries they do not do much more than a Man does in his short lifespan. Man covets the immortality of the Elves, but in an odd way the Elves often envy the gift of mortality. Some have even been known to chose to become mortal, though that is a complicated and spiritual process.

In Middle Earth, there are four major remaining Elvish settlements. The first three are the Elvish Havens, the Grey Havens, Rivendell and Lorien. The Grey Havens play little part in the role of Men, though they border the Human Kingdom of Arnor and are not unwelcoming, led by the mighty Elf and shipbuilder Cirdan. The main purpose of the havens is to act as the port from which the Elves leave to the west. Rivendell is the most well known settlement of Elves, friendly and open to all, led by Elrond who, perhaps, of all Elves understands men the best, though not always in a good way, and is well known as a sanctuary. Lorien, the Golden Wood, is full of highly traditional Elves who have so little to do with Man, and in Galadriel are led by such a scary person, are sometimes considered by Men to be as great an evil as any Orc. This is not so but they are the most alien of Elves.

The fourth major settlement is the Mirkwood, once the Greenwood, the Woodland Realm of the Elves to the North, where their King (aided by his son, Legolas) fight a long, protracted war against Spiders and other evils that have come to their wood. They live very close to Man, but again stay away from him, and the feeling is mutual.

Silvan Elves also live in man isolated forests throughout Middle-Earth.

If you play an Elf, your character choice becomes one of the four following Elvish types:

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NOLDOR ELF

The most Elvish of the Elves, Noldor are mighty, ancient and powerful beings. There was a time when their aggressive and vengeful spirit, though great in battle against the forces of darkness, nearly laid waste to their entire race. They have calmed down since then but they are still beings possessed of great emotion.

Noldor are far and away the most powerful Race choice. The time of the Elves may be passing but they still bear a fragment of that ancient power. They are also very rare, and young Noldor, such as might be played in this game, are rarer still. They are also the most remote from Humans, and find it hard to comprehend Man.

Noldor Elves are descendants of Elves that actually went to the Western Lands and then later returned. This was all part of their path of near destruction.

Starting Stats

Strength: 0
Agility: 15
Constitution: 10
Intuition: 5
Intelligence: 5
Presence: 25

Add ten points to one stat as defined by your profession
You may add two lots of five onto OTHER stats. You can improve the same stat multiple times.

Starting Skills

Unarmoured- 5
One-handed edged weapons- 5
Missile Weapons- 5
Ride- 5
Swim- 10
Stalk/Hide- 10
Read Runes- 10
Use Item- 5
Perception- 15
Body Development- 5
Read Rune- 10
Use Item- 5

Noldor get two Spell choices. Even Elvish warriors get some mystical back-up, but if you are not a magic-using character you will have to chose from an Open list.

Profession Choices

WARRIOR: Noldor have a long martial tradition, and make fearsome warriors, if not as physically brutal as the mortal races.

RANGER: Elves can very easily learn the ways of the wild, and Noldor are no exception.

ADVENTURER: Unusual, but not unknown, some Elves do venture out to explore and experience the world.

ANIMIST: Elves easily understand the physical arts of objects and restoration, though would never call it Magic

MAGE: Noldor Mages are the most powerful there are on Middle-Earth, at least available to characters. They see their work as simply art, but to mortal eyes it is miraculous.

Special

Noldor have no lifespan; they live forever barring violence. There are rare exceptions to this but it is generally true.

Noldor cannot become sick or scarred. They also carry a fragment of the light of Valinor within; they get +20 Resistance against Cold and +20 defence against all Cold-based attacks.

Noldor only require starlight to see as well as Men do during the day. In extremely low light, they can see up to fifty feet perfectly, and up to a hundred feet to a certain extent. Noldor hearing is several times better than that of Men.

Noldor get +20 to all Use Item rolls.

Noldor do not sleep, instead meditating for about three hours a day. The flip side of this is that it is harder to wake from meditation than from sleep.

Noldor get two background points, being tied to the fate of the Immortal. This is very low, because they are very so tied.

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SINDAR ELF

The ‘default’ Elf, as it were, and the ones that make up the majority of Elvish settlements. Many Sindarin went west long ago, but the Sindarin in Middle-Earth are descendants of those who never finished the journey and, for various reasons, stayed to face their destiny in the East instead, the legacy of which was the Last Alliance with Men that defeated Sauron.

Sindarin still do not understand Men but are the most friendly and open of Elves and so are the ones normally most willing to give relations with Men a go. They are also the most likely to bear in mind Man’s positive qualities, even at the most trying of times.

Sindarin are not quite as naturally mighty as Noldor, but that still leaves a lot of might! Some might also give then the edge in wisdom, though the truth is they are simply not as fiery. Sindarin are also famous for their shipbuilding skills, and are great craftsmen in general, though the greatest of all Elvish creations needed the touch of the Noldor.

Starting Stats

Strength: 0
Agility: 10
Constitution: 5
Intuition: 0
Intelligence: 5
Presence: 15

Add ten points to one stat as defined by your profession
You may add three lots of five onto OTHER stats. You can improve the same stat multiple times.

Starting Skills

Unarmoured- 5
One-handed edged weapons- 5
Missile Weapons- 10
Climb- 5
Ride- 5
Swim- 10
Stalk/Hide- 15
Read Runes- 5
Use Item- 5
Perception- 15
Body Development- 5
Read Rune- 5
Use Item- 5

Sindar get one Spell choice. Even Elvish warriors get some mystical back-up, but if you are not a magic-using character you will have to chose from an Open list.

Profession Choices

WARRIOR: Those mighty golden ranks of Elves were mostly Sindarin. They take war seriously if need be.

RANGER: Like all Elves, Sindarin are easily attuned to nature, and are very survivable in the wild.

ADVENTURER: Unusual, but not unknown, some Elves do venture out to explore and experience the world.

ANIMIST: Elves easily understand the physical arts of objects and restoration, though would never call it Magic

MAGE: They may lack the sheer power of Noldor but Sindarin Mages are just as spectacular and well killed.

Special

Sindar have no lifespan; they live forever barring violence. There are rare exceptions to this but it is generally true.

Sindar cannot become sick or scarred. They also carry a fragment of the light of Valinor within; they get +15 Resistance against Cold and +15 defence against all Cold-based attacks.

Sindar only require starlight to see as well as Men do during the day. In extremely low light, they can see up to fifty feet perfectly, and up to a hundred feet to a certain extent. Sindar hearing is several times better than that of Men.

Sindar do not sleep, instead meditating for about three hours a day. The flip side of this is that it is harder to wake from meditation than from sleep.

Sindar get three background points

SILVAN ELF

The term ‘Silvan Elf’ means ‘Wood Elf’ but it is important to note that living in a Wood does not make an Elf Silvan- it is a racial thing. The Mirkwood, for example, is Sindarin and Silvan mixed, whilst Lorien has very few Silvans at all! The isolated forests that have Elves within, however, are mostly Silvan.

The Silvan Elves are descendants of those who decided, long ago, that they had no intention of going west, and most likely will not go even now. They have permanently entwined their fortunes with Middle-Earth. And in the countless years that have passed since, the Silvan have become a little less Elf-like. They have lost a bit of that Elvish wonder about them. Yet, they feel a much better part of the world than the Sindarin and Noldor- who permanently feel a sense of remoteness and loss- and they understand the world much better too.

Silvan have lived near Men since Men were around, but Silvan tend to be withdrawn and rather mischievous inside their forests, and worry about Man’s destruction of nature. Still, there is no automatic hostility there.

Silvans are the least powerful of the Elves but still have talents to beat any Man, and also have backgrounds to compensate.

Starting Stats

Strength: 0
Agility: 10
Constitution: 0
Intuition: 0
Intelligence: 5
Presence: 10

Add ten points to one stat as defined by your profession
You may add four lots of five onto OTHER stats. You can improve the same stat multiple times.

Starting Skills

Unarmoured- 5
One-handed edged weapons- 5
Missile Weapons- 15
Climb- 10
Ride- 5
Swim- 15
Stalk/Hide- 20
Read Runes- 5
Perception- 15
Body Development- 5
Read Rune- 5

Silvans get one Spell choice. Even Elvish warriors get some mystical back-up, but if you are not a magic-using character you will have to chose from an Open list.

Profession Choices

WARRIOR: Silvans do not normally form armies, they form raiding parties, ambushers and the like. But they still always fight if need be.

RANGER: A more common choice for the physically-minded Silvan, experts in striking fast in the Wild, and then hiding in it.

THIEF: If any Elf is going to take this path, it would be a Silvan

ANIMIST: Elves easily understand the physical arts of objects and restoration, though would never call it Magic

MAGE: Even though their spirits are lesser than other Elves, Silvans are known for their ‘Magic’, which they use as means of trickery and deception, things that delight them.

Special

Silvans have no lifespan; they live forever barring violence. There are rare exceptions to this but it is generally true.

Silvans cannot become sick or scarred. They also carry a fragment of the light of Valinor within; they get +10 Resistance against Cold and +10 defence against all Cold-based attacks.

Silvans only require starlight to see as well as Men do during the day. In extremely low light, they can see up to fifty feet perfectly, and up to a hundred feet to a certain extent. Silvan hearing is several times better than that of Men.

Silvans delight in deceit and song. They get +10 to all Stalk/Hide rolls, and also to rolls using the Secondary skills Music and Trickery.

Silvans do not sleep, instead meditating for about three hours a day. The flip side of this is that it is harder to wake from meditation than from sleep.

Silvans get four background points

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HALF ELF

The rarest choice of all.

It is evidently biologically possible for Human and Elf to bear offspring. But the matter is more complicated spiritually. What is a Half-Elf, in these important terms? Does one have the gift of mortality, to achieve and then die? Or are they tied to the fate of the immortal, treading lightly on the world?

Those very few Half-Elves face a time of choice, to be mortal or immortal, to choose their Human or Elvish natures. Half-Elves are rare, but do at least have a role-model in Elrond. Elrond chose immortality and has been for so long now that he is effectively Noldor. But his brother, Elros, chose a mortal life, and died long ago. But Elros, before he died, founded the line of Dunadan, and so perhaps had a greater effect on the world than even Elrond has had in his long years.

It is difficult to pigeonhole Half-Elves, though they tend to be viewed as a bit of a wonder. It depends where they have grown up, but uncomfortable questions over their nature mean they are all hardly survivalists. They are caught in the exact middle between being powerful beings, and having background ties to the world. Their stats have the physicality of man with a nice touch of Elvish grace, health and stature.

Starting Stats

Strength: 5
Agility: 5
Constitution: 5
Intuition: 0
Intelligence: 0
Presence: 5

Add ten points to one stat as defined by your profession
You may add four lots of five onto OTHER stats. You can improve the same stat multiple times.

Starting Skills

Unarmoured- 5
Rigid Leather- 5
Chain- 5
One-handed edged weapons- 5
Missile Weapons- 10
Climb- 5
Ride- 5
Swim- 5
Stalk/Hide- 10
Read Runes- 5
Perception- 5
Body Development- 5
Read Rune- 5

Hald-Elves get one Spell choice, as a result of their heritage. Like Elves, this has to be from an Open choice if you would not otherwise use Magic.

Profession Choices

All. A Half-Elf can turn his talents to anything; there is no set reason as they have no set culture. They may take arms in armies of Man, or their Elvish touch will allow them to be Mages, or they may travel solo as Thieves or Adventurers.

Special

In physiology, Half-Elves seem more man than Elf (though if they live as immortal Elves, they become more Elf-like over centurie). Nonetheless, they have some of the benefits of Elvenkind. half-Elves are highly resistant to disease and get +5 Defence or Resistance against Cold-based dangers.

By starlight, they can see up to five hundred feet as well as Man; in extreme low light they can see up to fifty feet.

Half-Elves sleep or meditate depending on whether they are Human or Elf inclined; in either case it functions as Human sleep for waking purposes, and needs to be done four hours a day.

Half-Elves get three background points

DWARVES

‘Designed’ by the Gods, as it were before even the Elves, though not placed in the world until after them, Dwarves are an odd curiosity in Middle-Earth, with a purpose few can define- certainly not the Dwarves themselves, and not even the Elves.

It’s not hard to get the Dwarvish concept across- short, strong, fierce and of bad temper. They are mortal, though long-lived, and like all mortals they are corruptible. Not quite as much as Humans, and no Dwarves are known to have turned evil, but many have been known to be callous and selfish. Indeed, the Dwarvish vice is avarice, and since the days of the Ring it has grown within them.

Dwarves are experts with physical things- not just making things, but mining, understanding the physics of the Earth, and so forth. They base their entire culture on wealth dug from the ground, from gold and jewels to the centerpiece of their power, Mithril. They defend their homes- normally built into hills or mountains- furiously, and have a long hatred of the expansionist Orcs, but other than that, Dwarves tend to care little of the world so long as their own objectives are not in peril.

There is another side to the Dwarves- a noble, strong, true and honest race. But it’s not seen as much as it was before Sauron’s day.

Dwarf characters are most definitely physically orientated!

Starting Stats

Strength: 5
Agility: -5
Constitution: 15
Intuition: 0
Intelligence: -5
Presence: -5

Add ten points to one stat as defined by your profession
You may add four lots of five onto OTHER stats. You can improve the same stat multiple times.

Starting Skills

Unarmoured- 5
Rigid Leather- 5
Chain- 15
One-handed concussion weapons*- 20
Thrown Weapons- 5
Climb- 5
Pick Lock- 5
Disarm Trap- 5
Perception- 10
Body Development- 15

*Dwarves like concussion weapons, but also axes. Dwarves alone can use their concussion score to use one-handed axes also.

Profession Choices

WARRIOR: Damn right! Always up for a fight, are Dwarves.

THIEF: Not all Dwarves like to dig and mine to get their wealth, you know

ADVENTURER: They may be wondering looking for their fortune, or they may indeed simply be unlike other Dwarves, but Dwarvish Adventurers are certainly known.

Special

Dwarves are used to low-light underground situations. In extreme low light they can see fine up to fifty feet and well up to a hundred. They can even see up to ten feet in total darkness.

Dwarves are very elementally resistant. They get +30 Defence or Resistance against all Fire and Cold based hazards.

Dwarves cannot swim to save their lives, which it might. They get -50 to all Swim rolls.

Dwarves live between two and four centuries.

Dwarves sleep like Humans, but have super-human qualities of endurance, especially if carrying burdens.

Dwarves get four background points

HOBBITS

Bilbo tells as much as we need to know about Hobbits in FOTR. They enjoy the simple things in life- food, drink and their smoking (obviously not a modern day message there). Hobbits don’t involve themselves in the affairs of others, but this is portrayed as a matter of their innocence in being able to stay out of nasty things in the big wide world.

Hobbits are diminutive and easily overlooked (which was Sauron’s downfall) but sturdy, determined, and full of all the general good guy qualities of the world. They are mortal, longer lived than Man but less than Dwarf, but totally incorruptible in a way that confused even Elves- it seems, again, to be a matter of innocence. Even the Ring takes its time to change a Hobbit.

Hobbits, in fact, are a very recent race, developing out of earlier generations of short Humans, though none know their true history. Only recently have they found a homeland, inside the borders of Arnor, and which they are starting to call The Shire.

Taking a Hobbit is a tricky choice. They are the heroes of the films but you have to be aware that they are hardly mighty warriors or wizards (though they are noted as being good shots, and more than once drove the Orcs out their homeland). But there may well be a certain Hobbity vibe you wish to engage with, and this game will allow that. They are also very good with delicate things, and make excellent Thieves.

Starting Stats

Strength: -20
Agility: +15
Constitution: +15
Intuition: 0
Intelligence: -5
Presence: -5

Add ten points to one stat as defined by your profession
You may add four lots of five onto OTHER stats. You can improve the same stat multiple times.

Starting Skills

Unarmoured- 5
Thrown Weapons- 10
Missile Weapons- 10
Climb- 10
Stalk/Hide- 25
Pick Lock- 5
Disarm Trap- 5
Perception- 20
Body Development- 10

Profession Choices

THIEF- Bilbo was not actually a thief, just mistaken for one on Gandalf’s behest, but the Dwarves found it very believable, thinking Hobbits were good thieves. And they do- Hobbits have all the talents needed to be careful, sneaky and well-skilled in such an area.

ADVENTURER- There are no Hobbit armies or Mages, but such tough people can, in the rare instances they leave the Shire, perform very well indeed in looking after themselves, and surviving in the world.

Special abilities

Hobbits have the endurance of Dwarves, but ONLY if well-fed!

Hobbits have a certain amount of elemental resistance. Their barefoot nature is a demonstration of this.

Hobbits have an in-built resistance to the corrupting energies of Magic. This will not save them from a fireball but it provides protection from some of the more insidious powers of Darkness. Even the Ring took time to corrupt a Hobbit. Incidentally, this bonus is cultural, not racial. Hobbits aren't genetically resistant, they happen to just be rather jovial people, resistant to such corruption.

Hobbits live a few decades longer than Men.

Hobbits have five background points, and this might not be enough to make up for that low Strength but it is as high as it goes.

MAN

Uh-oh

Ok, obviously, Man cannot be pinned down as acting in one way, for there are many Human cultures. Man’s vibe is that they can be all things- good or evil, hero or selfish, insignificant or mighty. The temptation of Man to be selfish and evil is great, for which the Elves mistrust them, yet it is also Man that can save the world. For all the Hobbits and Elves and Dwarves, you can tell that the plot of Lord of the Rings is the plot of Men. It is their Age and they shall drive the destiny of the world, for good or ill.

Apart from being handy in a physical sense, Men get bugger all help stat wise, and have to make up with decent skills (Men start with more skills because young Elves tend to have learned far less, not driven by mortality), making the best of their Resources, and… well, fending for themselves, really.

There are several choices of Man to take

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HUMAN (Arnorian, Gondorian, Woodsman, Northman, Dorwinrim)

‘Human’ means just that. You are a Man. Not much doubt about that. There are five major cultures listed above that you can practically come from. Arnor no longer exists, so an Arnorian is either an inhabitant of Arthedain- the Human Kingdom where the game is set- or in a still-intact part of the area where Arnor used to cover, now under great threat from the Witch-King. It is very similar to Gondor as seen in the films, but proud of their Kingship, directly descended from Isildur. Gondor, and its inhabitants, is definitely similar to the films! Both nations have had sore trials. Arnor, other than Arthedain, has broken up. Gondor has suffered from plague, civil war and invasions from the East.

The Woodsmen are those Humans who live in the Mirkwood, hardy and strong with some associations with the Elves. The Northmen are those who live in the Northeast of Middle Earth, the Men of Dale as seen in The Hobbit, and other such races. Where the Arnorians and Gondorians have a rich, sophisticated vibe, the Northmen are more rustic. The Dorwinrim are a trading nation to the far East, a cross between Northmen and Easterling, but all nice people.

There are other Human cultures with no specific abilities- many nations to the East and South. But these Easterlings and Southrons long ago fell to evil, and may not be played.

Humans have a very generic skill set and can be anything you imagine!

Starting Stats

Strength: +5
Agility: 0
Constitution: 0
Intuition: 0
Intelligence: 0
Presence: 0

Add two points to one stat as defined by your profession
You may add four lots of five onto OTHER stats. You can improve the same stat multiple times.

Starting Skills

All mobility skills except Plate: 5
One-handed edged weapons- 5
Throw weapons- 5
Missile weapons- 5
Polearms- 5
Ride- 5
Swim- 5
Stalk/Hide- 5
Perception- 5
Body Development- 10

Profession Choices

Anything except Mages: Humans can choose to be anything they like. Some spiritual or shamanistic types, or maybe even holy types, can be very rare Animists, but Humans lack the kind of spirit needed to be Mages- unless they seek evil power in the dark arts.

Special

Being the default, Humans get absollutely no racial bonuses at all.

However, there are many diverse tastes amongst the race of Man. Human characters may spend four points on Secondary Skills at character creation.

Humans get five background points

BEORNING

Beornings- known that way simply because they are the traditional ‘Men of Beorne’ are a race of Northmen living in a corner of the Mirkwood and nearby areas who, whilst have Human cultures of settlements and even nobles, have a very strange ancestry of a relationship to nature so close that the most significant amongst them can actually turn into bears. Nifty! Although not very technically minded, they are staunch enemies of evil.

Starting Stats

Strength: 5
Agility: 0
Constitution: 0
Intuition: 0
Intelligence: 0
Presence: 0

Add ten points to one stat as defined by your profession
You may add four lots of five onto OTHER stats. You can improve the same stat multiple times.

Starting Skills

Unarmoured- 5
Two-handed weapons- 5
Thrown Weapons- 5
Pole-arms- 10
Climb- 10
Swim- 10
Stalk/Hide- 20
Perception- 5
Body Development- 15

Profession Choices

As Humans

Special

Beornings can Shape-Change into a Bear! Yup! Pretty neat. It requires a roll to change quickly. Yhe power of yuor Bear-i-ness depends on your level. it confers obvious advantages in tearing foes to pieces at close quarters, but give sissues with communication. It also causes effects not dissimilar to Shock from the magic Shock and Awe rolls; good guys not used to people turning into enormous bears might be as scared of you as the foe!

Wild animals will not attack a Beorning unless provoked.

Beornings need only sleep for two out of every three days.

Beornings get five background points

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EOTHEOD

There was once a group of tribal Northmen, the ‘Eothraic’, renowned for their mastery of the horse, that roamed the plains to the east of the Mountains and the north of Mordor. These tribesmen were unsophisticated, but were amazing horsemen and deadly warriors. The tribes were defeated by the invasion of the Wainriders, their scattered, nomadic ways not working, despite their prowess, against vast organized armies.

But when the tribes united, and then rebelled, they found that when they themselves organized they could kick ten types of crap out of the Easterling invaders. And so they did. The old, scattered tribal ways were done, and they formed a nation of their own, to be forever unified. In future times, they will move to a new area which will be renamed Rohan, and they will be known as the Riders of Rohan. But in this early time they call themselves the Eotheod, and live on the far side of the misty mountains to Arnor, between them and the Mirkwood.

Location aside, the Eotheod are pretty identical to the Horse Lords in the films. Amazing riders, determined and fearsome warriors, rough but good hearted- but few in number. Their nation is young and fledgling, but determined to make its mark.

Starting Stats

Strength: 5
Agility: 0
Constitution: 0
Intuition: 0
Intelligence: 0
Presence: 0

Add ten points to one stat as defined by your profession
You may add four lots of five onto OTHER stats. You can improve the same stat multiple times.

Starting Skills

Unarmoured- 5
Rigid Leather- 5
Chain- 10
One-handed edged weapons- 10
Missile Weapons- 5
Pole-arms- 5
Ride- 40
Swim- 5
Perception- 5
Body Development- 10

Profession Choices

As Humans, but no Animists either. They just don’t have any kind of mystical knack at all.

Special

Eotheod have a fearsome reputation as fighters, mostly borne out of their skill in fighting from the saddle. Alongside all other bonuses, Eotheod get +20 to all melee combat rolls if on horseback.

Eotheod get five background points

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DUNADAN

The Dunedain (that is the plural, Dunadan is singular) are Humans with a touch of Elf about them. This is not a continuous thing- far in their ancestry is powerful Elf blood. This bond, though, is more than genetic- it is spiritual, a legacy that gives Dunedain powers and physique beyond that of Man, for all time.

Dunedain are the chosen leaders of Men. It does not matter if Man himself does not want that. Lord of the Rings is not exactly into democracy, and not only are the Dunedain meant to rule, but this is meant to be highly laudable, and to be strived for. Even the Noldor will note that Dunedain are far more worthy than Men… though only a bit. Noldor are like that.

Dunedain are in no way immune to the corruptions and temptations of Man, and this is troublesome because their power can be used for evil also. They are descended from people known as the Numenoreans, the earlier generations of their descent, whose fusion of Man and Elf made for a power perhaps greater than the Elves themselves had ever known, but were destroyed by their own greed. The Dunadan of today is nowhere near as powerful as that, and yet they are still powerful. They are more, naturally, than Men, they can make great and powerful things, and alone amongst Men they can have a knack for the Magical.

Dunedain are a vital part of any LOTR storyline and are powerful additions to any team, with all the choices and options of Men, with the destiny derived from that of the Elves.

Starting Stats

Strength: 5
Agility: 0
Constitution: 10
Intuition: 0
Intelligence: 0
Presence: 5

Add ten points to one stat as defined by your profession
You may add four lots of five onto OTHER stats. You can improve the same stat multiple times.

Starting Skills

Unarmoured- 5
Rigid Leather- 5
Chain- 10
One-handed edged weapons- 10
Thrown Weapons- 5
Missile Weapons- 5
Pole-arms- 5
Ride- 5
Read Runes- 5
Use Item- 5
Body Development- 15

Profession Choice: Any. Dunadain have the freedom of Man, with the power to be anything they want. Dunadan Mages are very rare, though possible.

Special

Dunedain are too far removed from their Elvish heritage to have any of their genetic advantages except a long lifespan; Dunedain typically live for two or three centuries.

Being a Dunadan implies automatic social advantage in the society of Man.

Dunadan get three background points.

STEP 2- CHOOSE YOUR PROFESSION

DETAILS OF HOW TO LEVEL UP ARE HERE!

After with your racial choice you must choose your Profession. Not necessarily your day job, this dictates what kind of character you are, and what you specialize in. Your race limits what Professions you can be. Note that your Profession also has a ‘Primary stat’, which is the one that gets two points added to it as described in the stat choices above.

Other than your basic purpose in the game, your Profession also tells you how your skills increase each level (including Level 1), and what special bonuses you get each level.

When levelling up, you get 'development points' to spend in stats. A skill can only be improved ONCE per level up. Development points are spent like this:

- One development point increases a skill by five. Mobility skills only can be increased more than once in this fashion per level

- Three development points increase a skill by ten. Mobility skills cannot be improved this way.

- You can use a point from any category to increase Perception by five.

- You can use a point from any category to increase a secondary skill by five.

- You can use TWO points from any category to increase a skill from a different category by five

Example- a Warrior gets 5 points to spend on weapon skills when he levels up. He could spread them out so he increases five different skills by five. Instead, he could spend three of the points on one skill, increasing it by 10; this would leave him two others. They could be used to increase other weapon skills, or be transferred over to increase a skill from a different category.

WARRIORS

A Warrior is a fighting man, be it professional soldier or general hard guy. Nearly every culture produced Warrior.

A Warrior is the base class in Middle-Earth which all others should be compared to. They are far from bone-headed idiots only good in a fight, and in fact have a good spread of skills. But they have no other specialty other than to fight. Their combat skill is high, but their best asset is a high Body Development combined with a high value to that Body Development which makes Warriors extraordinarily long-lasting in a fight, so long as they don’t take a serious wound.

Boromir, Legolas and Gimli were all Warriors

Profession Stat: Strength.

Gain the following for each Level (including Level 1!)

- Three development points in mobility
- Five development points in Weapon skills
- Two development points in General skills
- Two development points in Subterfuge skills
- Body Development goes up by 15

BONUSES: Warriors add three times their level onto all combat rolls, and add their level to all rolls involving General Skills. They add twice their level onto their body development score*. They get no Secondary bonuses.

(*literally speaking this means that their BD goes up by 17 per level, not 15, but for a couple of system reasons I'll keep the sources separate)

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RANGERS

A Ranger is a fighting man like a Warrior, but is a light, mobile warrior, taking advantage of terrain and knowing how to use the land to his advantage. Some Rangers have skills with the wild that seem almost magical to others.

In future times there is an actual organization known as the Rangers of the North; they do not exist yet in this timeline but people who work in the same way do indeed exist, whether they be independent types from the wild, or official military scouts.

Rangers get to choose from a list of abilities that follow similar rules for Magic, though are not actually fully magical (maybe a little spiritual). They can only use Channelling spells. They can pick from the Open Channelling spells, and the special Ranger Channelling spells.

Aragorn and Faramir were both Rangers.

Profession Stat: Constitution

Gain the following for each Level (including Level 1!)

- Two development points in mobility
- Three development points in Weapon skills
- Four development points in General skills
- Two development points in Subterfuge skills
- Body Development goes up by 10
- Gain one Spell choice

BONUSES: Rangers add twice their level onto all combat rolls, Perception rolls, and Stalk/Hide rolls. They add three times their level to all rolls involving General skills. With Secondary skills, they three times their level to Pathway rolls, twice their level to Foragaing and Weather Watching rolls, and their level to Herbalism and Hunting rolls

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ADVENTURERS

The Adventurer is a catch-all category for a person who has traveled out into the world, experienced it, and become hardened by it. A common factor among Men, possible, though rare, for Elves, and one of the few ways Hobbits ever become entangled in wider affairs, and they would be considered odd for it.

An Adventurer is very much an all-rounder, though lacking anything mystical. He can certainly handle himself in a fight, and has a great selection of all other skills.
piritual). They are also highly skilled, but not as lastable in a combat as a Warrior.

The Hobbits from Lord of the Rings were all Adventurers. It was a life forced upon them, but it was what they became.

Profession Stat: Choose between Strength and Agility

Gain the following for each Level (including Level 1!)

- Two development points in mobility
- Three development points in Weapon skills
- Three development points in General skills
- Three development points in Subterfuge skills
- Body Development goes up by 10

BONUSES: Adventurers add twice their level onto all combat rolls, and all rolls involving General or Subterfuge skills. They add their level to all Secondary skill rolls.

THIEVES

A Thief can be many things, from actual cutpurse to dashing rogue. Regardless, thieves are very often in high demand.

A Thief is certainly able to fight but their true speciality, of course, is in the Subterfuge skills, where they excel. Other than they, they also have a very broad set of skills, and are generally competent people.

Bilbo was a Thief. Not literally, even though others thought so, but he developed as this Profession choice does.

Profession Stat: Agility

Gain the following for each Level (including Level 1!)

- One development point in mobility
- Three development points in Weapon skills
- Three development points in General skills
- Five development points in Subterfuge skills
- Body Development goes up by 10

BONUSES: Thieves add their level to all Combat rolls and all rolls involving General skills, add twice their level to all rolls involving Subterfuge skills, and add three times their level onto all Perception rolls. With Secondary Skills, they add twice their level to all pathway rolls, and their Level to Hunting and Weather Watching rolls.

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ANIMISTS

An Animist is a magic-using class, a student of the spiritual link between physical things. There are many types of Animist, but the ways they can chose from involve command over nature- be that weather, animals, plantlife, healing, and so on.

For Men, Animist is seen as priestly, or Shamany. To an Elf, Animism is simply understanding the links between living things, and how the world works.

Animists are not fighters, of course, but they are far more physical than mages. They can handle a weapon, and can wear the lighter armours without penalty to their powers.

The most famous Animist of all is Elrond himself. From the books, Radagast was certainly one as well, though as an Istari he was cheating somewhat. Arwen seems to be one as well, in the films.

Profession Stat: Intuition, and this is VERY important to them

Gain the following for each Level (including Level 1!)

- One development point in mobility
- One development point in Weapon skills
- Two development points in General skills
- One development point in Subterfuge skills
- Two development points in Magical skills
- Two development points to spend on improving any language
- Body Development goes up by 5
- Five development points to spend on Spell Lists

BONUSES: Animists add their level to all Use Item and Perception rolls. They add one times their level to all rolls involving General skills. They add twice their level to all Directed Spell rolls and their Base Spell bonus. With Secondary Skills, they add three times their level to all Herbalism rolls, and twice their level to all Foraging, Hunting and Weather Watching rolls.

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MAGE

Rarest of all classes, the Mage is the practitioner of Arcane forces. Beyond men- save those who seek out power in Evil- Dunadan have such a spark which they may refer to as Magic, whereas those who normally produce Mages- the Elves- again are confused by the term Magic and see theirs as an art like the Animist, only dealing in tangibles rather than physical things.

Magic is a rare and subtle thing in Middle-Earth, involving far more careful effects than blasting fireballs, in total contrast to fantasy worlds in general. Still, Mages can push such effects if they really have to, but these times are definitely the exception. Even Gandalf never rattled off fireballs in a fight, though obviously he was pushing things come the Balrog.

A Mage can wield a weapon. Without that ability they are doomed, for Magic will not protect you from all things. But they are hardly specialists in such area, and any armour disrupts their Magic, making them highly vulnerable.

Obviously, Gandalf was a Mage, but then he is an Istari, likewise Saruman. Galadriel is one too, but what these all have in common is that they are ancient and powerful beings. Such power among the young is rare indeed.

Profession Stat: Intelligence, and this is VERY important to them

Gain the following for each Level (including Level 1!)

- Two development points in General skills
- Five development points in Magical skills
- Body Development goes up by 5
- Two development points to spend on imrproving any language
- Five development points to spend on Spell Lists

BONUSES: Mages add twice their level to all Magic skills and their base spell bonus, and +3 onto the Directed Spells skill. With Secondary skills, they add three times their level to all Lore rolls.

SKILLS

Here is the Skills list. They are broken into categories; your Profession dtells how you can improve them, by level, broken down by category. All skills start at the level dictated by your race, and from that point on improve Level by level as dictated by your profession.

The combination of the starting skill levels from your racial choice and those gained from your development points you spend each level form your 'Base Level' for that skill. If your Base Level ever reaches 50, improving it further becomes much more difficult.

Onto this you can add the following:

- One relevant stat will add onto the skill
- Your profession often gives a blanket bonus to skill types by level (e.g. Warriors add +3 onto all weapon skill for each level they have, regardless of where they spend Development points)
- Backgrounds may give special bonuses to a skill
- High quality/magical items may also add a bonus.

Example: Ereduin the Dunadan is a level one character. Dunadan start with a one-handed edged score of 10. Ereduin is a Ranger. He spends three development points for his first level on increasing his one-handed edge score by another 10. This means his base level in one-handed edged is twenty

However, he gets several other bonuses. His Strength of 15 adds onto that. Warriors get three times their level as a bonus to all weapons, so that is another three points. And his high quality sword gives him +5 to all rolls made with it.

This gives him a final one-handed edged score of 43! Not bad for first level...

If a skill has no base level, its base becomes -25, though such skills aren't generally put on your character.

MOBILITY SKILLS: These skills are all about how trained you are in moving about in certain types of armour. Technically speaking, anyone can wear any armour, but without these skills you would fall over if you tried to move anywhere. You are limited in how much you can put into these skills, because they are more about off-setting penalties from wearing armour than they are about becoming faster. You cannot improve Mobility skills at all when maxed.

Note that your final score on a mobility roll can never be higher than it would have been had you been wearing no armour, no matter how high your skill is.

Mobility skills are very important, not only for trying to get anywhere quickly in armour, but also for striking first in a fight!

Each mobility score comes with an automatic penalty that represents the encumbrance of the armour. This can easily bring yuor final value negative. This does not mean you cannot use the armour- it just means you are slow in it. Very few are fast in full plate!

There are five Mobility skills:

Unarmoured (Agility): Maximum skill in this is 10. There is no penalty.

Soft Leather (Agility): Maximum skill in this is 15. Penalty is 15.

Rigid Leather (Agility): Maximum skill in this is 30. Penalty is 30.

Chain (Strength): Maximum skill in this is 45. Penalty is 45.

Plate (Strength): Maximum skill in this is 60. Penalty is 60.

WEAPON SKILLS: These are easy. The more you have in one of these, the better you are with it! The categories are:

One-handed edged weapons (Strength): Swords, axes, daggers, knives…

One-handed concussion weapons (Strength): Maces, flails, morning stars, clubs, cudgels…

Two-handed weapons (Strength): Two handed-swords, large axes, double-handed maces…

Thrown weapons (Agility): Throwing knives or spears, javelins…

Missile Weapons (Agility): Bows, crossbows, slingshots…

Polearms (Strength): Lances, pikes, halberds…

GENERAL SKILLS: Handy survival skills for Middle-Earth
Climb (Agility)
Ride (Intuition)
Swim (Agility)
Track (Intelligence)

SUBTERFUGE SKILLS: For times when violence will not help
Stalk/Hide (Presence)
Pick Lock (Intelligence)
Disarm Trap (Intuition)

MAGICAL SKILLS: For the more arcane inclined among you…
Use Items (Intuition): Working out the provenance and use of mysterious artifacts you may find

Read Runes (Intelligence): Decoding and making use of equally mysterious and powerful runes. Speak, Friend, and Enter… (Gandalf messed up that roll)

Directed Spell Use (Agility): Used for most rolls where a test needs to be made to see if your Spell ‘hits’. All Bolt spells use this, as well as some other Spell types, but ‘Ball’ spells are not aimed and are made with a base (unmodified) roll instead, though Mages get a bonus to that.

OTHERS: Some other important things to keep track of. Improvements in these skills are often made by taking improvements away from other categories.

Perception (Intuition): Your ability to spot things!

Defensive Score (Agility): Your base ability to get out of the way of things. Everyone;s Base level in Defence is zero; it can only be improved with a good agility or special abilities. is always marked on your character sheet.

Body Development CConstitution): How well developed your physique is. This is not rolled like a skill, but instead gives you your total stamina. It has its own unique value for its Base level, formed by your racial choice and added onto each level by profession. Your Constitution and a default modifier of 20 are added onto it.

SECONDARY SKILLS: If you want to be good at anything not covered in the Primary skills- like Leadership, Performance, Acrobatics, First Aid, Gambling- anything you find useful!- it is classified as a Secondary skill. Best to check with me before a Secondary is allowed.

The following Secondary Skills, although far too specific in use to be classed as main skills, have set purposes in the game and are referenced in Professions, Races or even Spells:

Foraging
Herbalism
Hunting
Lore
Music
Pathways
Weather Watching

BACKGROUNDS

Background points give you certain advantages- special skills, or good equipment, or money. The less powerful races get more background by compensation. As a reminder, here are the points each race gets:

Noldor Elf: 2
Sindar Elf: 3
Silvan Elf: 4

Half-Elf: 3

Dwarf: 4

Hobbit: 5

Man (all but Dunadan): 5
Dunadan: 3

Background points can be spent to buy the following:

1. Money option. Each choice here makes you notably richer.
2. +5 to any stat, though you can only improve a stat once.
3. An item of quality- superior Elvish blade or rope, or armour tailored to you, or quality boots that make no noise… regardless the item is worth +10 to all rolls with that skill. Note that you cannot take a mount this way- horses etc. must be bought. If this is a weapon, you must define exactly what kind of weapon it is.
4. A ‘Spell Adding’ focus- for example a Magic staff. This gives you three extra power Points per day for every background point you spend on this, to a maximum of three Backgrounds for nine extra points
5. A specific spell focus- for example, a crystal or necklace giving power over a certain mystical area. This allows a spell of your choice to be cast a number of times a day without expending power points. The number of times equals 6 – the Power Point cost of the spell (hence, this is not much good for Spells costing five or more). If bought twice, the daily use is 9 – the cost. If bought three times, the daily use is 12 -cost. You must choose the spell when you select this item.
6. Animal Empathy. Choose an animal type (horse, eagle, camel etc.), and you get +20 to all rolls involving the use of or communication with that animal.
7. Nimbleness- grants a +10 bonus (special) to all Mobility rolls
8. Observant- grants a +10 bonus (special) to Track and Perception rolls.
9. Lightning Reactions- gives a +5 bonus (special) to all Combat rolls, and to your final Defence total
10. Pain Resistant- each point in Body Development gives you eight stamina instead of 5.
11. Charismatic- +10 to all attempts to influence others
12. Resistant- a +10 bonus to resisting the category of your choice (examples- Electricity, Fire, Cold)
13. Talented- a +1 bonus to any skill of your choice. This can be cumulative.
14. Hobbyist- a +3 bonus to a Secondary skill. This can be cumulative.
15. Proficient- begin play with five extra spell choices, all of which must be spent on one list. Only for those who started with at least one Spell choice. This can only be taken once.

Take time to think about your backgrounds- this is a one-off deal, you will never get any more (though you may obviously find more money, or quality items, during

PUTTING THIS TOGETHER

NOTE- if you do not want to do this bit, I'll do it for you

The last thing you need to do, ruleswise, is put your final skill levels together.

Arrange them in this order:

Total score (Base level/stat bonus/profession bonus. Then mention any other bonuses.) Hence our Dunadan above would have his one-handed edged skill look like this:

ONE HANDED EDGED: 43 (Base level: 20. Strength bonus: 15. Profession Bonus: 3. Item bonus: 5)

Some skills don’t quite follow the logic- Defensive Score has no Skill component, for example.

Your 'Stamina'- the damage you can take in battle- comes from your 'Body Development' skill. Body Development twins with Constitution, but you also get a natural +20 bonus to it just for being alive.

Then, think about your background, where you come from, and then all you need to do is select some equipment!

EQUIPMENT

Each of you starts play with the following:

1. A basic weapon of your choice
2. Either Soft or Rigid Leather armour
3. A shield
4. Ammunition for a Ranged weapon to last one story

Other than that, each game you may expend your Money Options to buy extra equipment. Once spent they are gone, though you might find sources during play that give a continuous amount each game. Here are some general options. Note that quality items are not easy to get hold of, though in Fornost high-quality items are available, and those who find themselves greatly in favour may find exceptional quality ones available too.

Any three of the following (including the same piece repeated): New weapon, leather armour, arm and leg greaves, ammunition to last one story, a helmet: One point

A Pack animal: One point

Light or Medium Horse: One point

High-quality weapon: One point (+5 to rolls with that weapon)

High-quality leather armour, OR helmet, OR greaves: One point (-5 to penalties)

Metal Armour: One point

Heavy Horse: Two points

High quality metal armour: Two points (-5 to Mobility penalty)

Lesser Warhorse: Three points

Exceptional quality weapon: Three points (+ 10 to rolls with that weapon)

Exceptional Quality Metal Armour: Four points (-10 to Mobility penalty)

Exceptional quality leather armour, OR helmet, OR greaves: One point (-10 to penalties)

Greater Warhorse: Five points

Other things may be available according to the situation.

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