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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Starfox" data-source="post: 6297063" data-attributes="member: 2303">The "time just before Bilbo" is a time of incredible decline in Middle Earth, and if you are sticking to canon, it should remains so for Bilbo's and Frodo's quests to work out. I think it is a very poor time for adventures in middle earth. Unless you are prepared to completely ignore canon, there is little lasting change you can do.When Iron Crown did Middle Earth, their default setting was in the early third age, soon after the fall of Arnor and right after the plague. Gondor is still a superpower but suffering from the aftereffects of plague, the Rohirrim are still north of the Mirkwood but moving south, and it is a time where hope and revival is possible without upsetting canon - its more than  a thousand years until the ring is found again. This is a decent setting for Middle Earth.But the setting I'd suggest is the beginning of the 4th age. Sauron has been defeated, the elves have not left yet, the istari are still around along with some of the fellowship if you want to name drop, and there is a whole world out there to liberate. Its not likely that an epic problem like Sauron would crop up again, but some of his lieutenants could well have survived. Or you could do a Belgariad and just create another Sauron as a new epic enemy. If you don't (and I don't recommend it) this might not be epic enough for you.If you want epic, the time when the Numenoreans return to Middle Earth in the second age should do. Lots of lands to explore, lands under the influence of Sauron where all kinds of nasties exist. There are hidden elven enclaves and human peoples to try and lead out of the darkness, giving a sense of wonder. The final goal is of course to defeat Sauron, and if you allow yourself to break canon, to do so in a manner that does not corrupt the future of Numenor. The end of the second age is also a possible time, culminating in the last alliance of elves and men and the defeat of Sauron - you'd either work for or replace the legendary humans like Isildur. The one ring was the one made last of all the rings of power - before it is made, the other rings can still be used as treasures and rewards. The dark Numenorians to the south add a diplomatic angle to the story, and much of the world is still unexplored. The time form the fall of Numenor to the defeat of sauron is short - just a single generation - which can still be more than a hundred years considering how long Numenorians live.</blockquote>

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