Tolkien Quest #1: Night of the Nazgûl

[rusty_shackleford]

Latest character sheet(will be kept up to date):

(TODO: add Time 5/XP 1)

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Map:




So it appears my first choices are:

1. Use the basic or advanced system?
2. Use the premade character, create my own character using the simple Tolkien Quest character development system, or create my own character using MERP and use the MERP optional rules?

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Rules: Action table:

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Combat table:

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[rusty_shackleford]

Here's approximately the same area as the gamebook's map in LotRO:



Little known fact: LotRO was heavily inspired by MERP and used a lot of its sourcebooks for ideas.

[rusty_shackleford]

Use the basic or advanced system?
Use the premade character, create my own character using the simple Tolkien Quest character development system, or create my own character using MERP and use the MERP optional rules?

Going to use the advanced system, maybe I'll use MERP if I do another depending on how this goes.

[Xenich]

Here's approximately the same area as the gamebook's map in LotRO:



Little known fact: LotRO was heavily inspired by MERP and used a lot of its sourcebooks for ideas.

Yeah, LotRO at release was an amazing game. It had a real "old school" pen and paper style play to the game systems. It is unfortunate that mainstream ****** the game (not absolving responsibility of the company, though Turbine sold it and that is when it truly went south).

[rusty_shackleford]

Rolling my stats

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[edit]
Rules for "Pick a Number"

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[rusty_shackleford]

OK, this is what I have so far. How about you guys pick what I put my skill points into? Read the 2 page entry from my prior post.

sheet.webp

[Tangerine]

Put some points into missiles. He should be really good at throwing rocks.

[Kalarion]

Are you okay with spells?

[Kalarion]

My suggestion:
+2 ranged OB
+1 perception
+1 general
+1 trickery
+1 magic (2 spells)

Halfred is a decent all-rounder and a crack shot with his rocks, but he's never bothered picking up anything sharp besides his knife and fork for Second Lunch, instead trusting to his ability to nail a gnat at 20 paces. What most of his fellow Hobbits don't know is that he also has a touch of magic; he's used it surreptitiously on more than one occasion to get himself out of a bind, or to one-up his rivals.

EDIT: forgot to add, if you don't want magic, I'd suggest moving the +1 from there to ranged.

[rusty_shackleford]

I'll be substituting all mentions of a bow with sling to better suit the character, as it appears the only ranged weapon type that appears are bows.

[rusty_shackleford]

Race rules:

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Magic rules:

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[Kalarion]

Spells: Balance and Healing.

[rusty_shackleford]

I updated the OP with the rules pages

[rusty_shackleford]

I'll wait until tomorrow to see if anyone else chimes in on character creation before continuing

[rusty_shackleford]

+1 magic (2 spells)

You get 2 spells for each 1 point left unspent

[rusty_shackleford]

Added character sheet to OP, I'll keep it up to date.

[Stack of Turtles]

I would recommend dropping the general bonus from Kalarion's setup to fund the spells. A mixed ranged/caster is cool.

[Acrux]

It seems like a lot of RPGs give hobbits bonuses for using slings, but all Tolkien wrote was that they are good at throwing stones. They did use bows, and there's a line in one of the appendicies about a contingent of halfing bowmen being sent to the aid of Arnor during it's war with the Witch-king. None returned home.

[rusty_shackleford]

It seems like a lot of RPGs give hobbits bonuses for using slings, but all Tolkien wrote was that they are good at throwing stones. They did use bows, and there's a line in one of the appendicies about a contingent of halfing bowmen being sent to the aid of Angmar during it's war with the Witch-king. None returned home.

I suspect Tolkien was just unaware of how effective slings are as weapons

[rusty_shackleford]

sheet 1.webp

[rusty_shackleford]

Prologue:

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Halfred goes over the contents of the sack, remembering the ranger's words. He should take only one item, he knows the rangers need the rest of the supplies and it is all they can spare.
Having used a sling since he was a wee hobbitling - having been so taught by his father - he thought it the best item to take with him.
Carefully lifting the sling out of the sack, he also grabbed the stones with it. These were riverbed stones he guessed, best as any around here.




Halfred double-checks the bolt on his door and lays down in bed. What has he signed himself up for?! All the dark stories he'd heard about the wild lands race through his head. I have to stay away from the roads and the woods, how does one do that? His heavy eyelids slowly begin to close, the excitement unable to keep him awake for long.

[rusty_shackleford]

I'll update the character sheet and post the first location text tomorrow.

[rusty_shackleford]

Also, I don't know if it's stated anywhere in Hobbit or LotR(I can't remember off the top of my head!), but the prologue says it's 24 leagues from Hobbiton to Bree, exactly 12 leagues from either to the Brandywine bridge.

A quick search suggests that the official first-party material does not state the distance, so this is perhaps as official as it gets that isn't directly from Tolkien?

[rusty_shackleford]

The rules don't seem clear but I'm guessing things like 7x Lembas takes up one slot, not 7?

[rusty_shackleford]

Halfred awakens at the hour of twilight. What a strange dream he had himself, an adventure? Everyone knows the Underhills do not go on adventures. He must make himself ready to begin caring for the horses in the stable, Barliman Butterbur will get rid of him at once if he finds out he was laying in bed dreaming of adventure.
Up out of bed, stretching his arms and legs. He lights a candle and notices a glint on the table near the bed.

"Oh" says Halfred softly.
It is a dagger. The silver dagger he was entrusted with by the ranger. The metal shimmers in the dim candlelight.
"Oh dearest me…"

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Halfred begins his journey!
Look at the pdf in the OP for rules on how to "move on", and help pick where Halfred is going! Time is of the essence, the bridge will likely be watched according to Strider.

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[Stack of Turtles]

No point wasting time: 2D!

[Tangerine]

How bad can the roads near town be? Halfred is naïve to fantasy RPG tropes and figures he can make good time staying on the road for as long as possible. If things start looking bad, he can always get off of it.

2D after checking the store for provisions.

[rusty_shackleford]

After 24 hours passes I will roll to decide which course of action is taken from those suggested.

[Kalarion]

Move to 2D.

Where are the Actions Taken and Combat tables? I didn't see them in the rulebook.

[rusty_shackleford]

Move to 2D.

Where are the Actions Taken and Combat tables? I didn't see them in the rulebook.

Added to OP