As some of you may recall I raised the idea of a campaign set in 4th Age Middle Earth a few weeks back.
I got some Fantastic replies here: http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=73188
Sadly, my players rebelled against playing low magic anything, so much to my disappointment I had to shelve the idea.
Then I had another idea, about how to change ME just enough to allow fully fledged spellcasters. Here's the campaign/setting intro I've worked out so far:
Obviously such a campaign won't have a strictly traditional LOTR feel & you may well ask "why bother using middle earth if you're not true to the original atmosphere". Basically, thanks to the superb depiction of the setting in the movies I think even tweaked to high magic, ME provides an unrivaled source of instant visualisation and atmosphere.
I figure 100 years is just long enough for magic to have spread & be understood a little, without being commonplace. No 'magic shops', few magic treasure, but just enough knowledge and resources for the PCs to make/commission their own etc so they're not completely deprived.
Any comments? Does it sound viable? Anyone see any traps I should be wary of?
I got some Fantastic replies here: http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=73188
Sadly, my players rebelled against playing low magic anything, so much to my disappointment I had to shelve the idea.
Then I had another idea, about how to change ME just enough to allow fully fledged spellcasters. Here's the campaign/setting intro I've worked out so far:
It is 100 years since the end of the War of the Ring and the death of Sauron. 100 years of relative peace for Gondor under the rule of Aragorn, King Elessar Telcontar. 100 years since the first mortal children were born with the gift of magic.
While Gondor has prospered, the same cannot be said for all of the Reunited Kingdom. With the defeat of the Corsairs of Umbar during the War & the swift signing of treaties with the rest of Harad shortly after, Gondor was largely secure from all but the remnants of Sauron's forces in well guarded Mordor.
The northern lands of Arnor however, long weakened by centuries of war & misfortune are too scattered to well resist the remnants of Sauron's forces that find their way north. King Elessar supplies troops from Gondor to reinforce the local defenders, but orcs continue to harrass the scattered settlements & rangers report worse lurking in the ruins of ancient Angmar.
It is said that with Sauron's destruction by the deeds of mortal men & hobbits, Illuvatar, bestowed magic upon the mortal races as a new part of the Song of Creation. Whether bestowed as a reward or as part of Illuvatar's plan from the beginning, only Illuvatar himself truly knows.
Once a gift only seen among the immortal Valar, it is now shared by every mortal race in every known land of Middle Earth. It is recognised by most, but understood by few and in most places, magic users are regarded the same as heavily armed warriors. That is, with various degrees of suspicion, fear or respect depending on their reputation.
Wizards in the Reunited Kingdom remain rare, most of whom are trained at Isengard, now the site of the only college of wizardry in the Reunited Kingdoms since being rebuilt by King Elessar. Sorcerers, bards and priests of all kinds are more numerous, though few have more than minor magical ability.
Even as magic use has spread among mortal folk, strange new creatures have been encountered throughout Middle Earth…
While Gondor has prospered, the same cannot be said for all of the Reunited Kingdom. With the defeat of the Corsairs of Umbar during the War & the swift signing of treaties with the rest of Harad shortly after, Gondor was largely secure from all but the remnants of Sauron's forces in well guarded Mordor.
The northern lands of Arnor however, long weakened by centuries of war & misfortune are too scattered to well resist the remnants of Sauron's forces that find their way north. King Elessar supplies troops from Gondor to reinforce the local defenders, but orcs continue to harrass the scattered settlements & rangers report worse lurking in the ruins of ancient Angmar.
It is said that with Sauron's destruction by the deeds of mortal men & hobbits, Illuvatar, bestowed magic upon the mortal races as a new part of the Song of Creation. Whether bestowed as a reward or as part of Illuvatar's plan from the beginning, only Illuvatar himself truly knows.
Once a gift only seen among the immortal Valar, it is now shared by every mortal race in every known land of Middle Earth. It is recognised by most, but understood by few and in most places, magic users are regarded the same as heavily armed warriors. That is, with various degrees of suspicion, fear or respect depending on their reputation.
Wizards in the Reunited Kingdom remain rare, most of whom are trained at Isengard, now the site of the only college of wizardry in the Reunited Kingdoms since being rebuilt by King Elessar. Sorcerers, bards and priests of all kinds are more numerous, though few have more than minor magical ability.
Even as magic use has spread among mortal folk, strange new creatures have been encountered throughout Middle Earth…
Obviously such a campaign won't have a strictly traditional LOTR feel & you may well ask "why bother using middle earth if you're not true to the original atmosphere". Basically, thanks to the superb depiction of the setting in the movies I think even tweaked to high magic, ME provides an unrivaled source of instant visualisation and atmosphere.
I figure 100 years is just long enough for magic to have spread & be understood a little, without being commonplace. No 'magic shops', few magic treasure, but just enough knowledge and resources for the PCs to make/commission their own etc so they're not completely deprived.
Any comments? Does it sound viable? Anyone see any traps I should be wary of?
)
