Lord of the Rings Role Playing (Free League 5e)

[Mercurius]

Maybe share the basics of. your campaign idea, which might give people more focus in their responses? Which region are you starting in? What is the general plot outline? Etc.

I agree that some kind of thematic focus might be a good thing, but there's still ways to make a Fellowship-style "cosmopolitan" group. I tend to think it is usually a good idea for players to be able to choose what they play*, rather than "everyone is a hobbit"...that could be a lot of fun if everyone wants to, but if someone is dead-set on a dwarf or elf or warrior of Rohan, you can quite easily fold them in.

*That is, unless you have that one person who insists on playing a half-tiefling, half-aaracockra sparkle fairy princess sorceress with a plushy unicorn familiar. In such instances, it is ok to say "None of that in Middle-earth, sorry."

 

[Wolfpack48]

Fantastic source material. Unwieldy, non-Tolkienesque rules. (IMO)

How adaptable is that MERP material to TOR or 5e AIME?

 

[Micah Sweet]

How adaptable is that MERP material to TOR or 5e AIME?

Well a lot of it setting material, so I would say yes.

 

[Wolfpack48]

Well a lot of it setting material, so I would say yes.

I was thinking more the adventures, actually.

 

[Micah Sweet]

I was thinking more the adventures, actually.

I don't know, but I don't see why not.

 

[Bill Zebub]

Just to tweak William Gibson, add psionics and bio-implants to the game.

 

[TheSword]

I might be overthinking this, but I'm having a hard time figuring out how to begin a campaign in Middle Earth. I've recently been a player in a 5e LotR game, and it was a blast, but when the DM finished up, he said he wished he had laid down some restrictions at the beginning (like where in Middle Earth our characters could be from). So I have a good theme in my mind, and I have a good story as a sort of overarching frame, and I have lots of good spaces for characters to wander around in, explore, react, interact, etc. All of this is sketched out in my head.

But damn, how do I start this thing? "You are in a tavern" always works but it feels...not Tolkienish.

Any ideas or experiences you could share?

Start with a country wedding or fair. Lots of mead, wine, good food, music & dancing.

Then have it attacked by the main antagonist of your campaigns. Throw in one of the guests betraying the event and have that pathetic villain keep coming back, playing the victim, blaming the attack on the PCs and claiming to have valiantly fought against the attackers.

 

[occam]

I might be overthinking this, but I'm having a hard time figuring out how to begin a campaign in Middle Earth. I've recently been a player in a 5e LotR game, and it was a blast, but when the DM finished up, he said he wished he had laid down some restrictions at the beginning (like where in Middle Earth our characters could be from). So I have a good theme in my mind, and I have a good story as a sort of overarching frame, and I have lots of good spaces for characters to wander around in, explore, react, interact, etc. All of this is sketched out in my head.

But damn, how do I start this thing? "You are in a tavern" always works but it feels...not Tolkienish.

Any ideas or experiences you could share?

I haven't run them yet, but have several planned starting points for various Companies:

• Standard D&D intro: at The Pike and Eel ("Dragon-stones in Lake-town", homebrew AiME adventure)
  • mainly for player-heroes from eastern Wilderland
• At the Market Green in Woodmen-town, preparing to journey to Lake-town (Eaves of Mirkwood, AiME adventure)
  • mainly for player-heroes from western Wilderland
• Another standard intro: at The Prancing Pony ("Old Bones and Skin" in the Bree-land Region Guide for AiME)
  • mainly for player-heroes from Eriador
• At or en route to Edoras ("Blood on the Snow" in Oaths of the Riddermark for ToR 1e)
  • mainly for Riders of Rohan
• Gathered by Bilbo Baggins at Bag End ("A Conspiracy Most Cracked" in Shire Adventures for LotRR)
  • mainly for Shire-hobbits