This is an idea for a roleplaying setting I've had for a while now. It is based on the notion that Middle Earth is our world in its prehistoric past. And some of its former glory will return to us in the last age before the end. One of the central themes is the conflict between Middle Earth morality and that of our own 21st century world. Especially when it comes to views on racism and government.
It obviously doesn't really match what The One Ring is all about. It is more like Shadowrun, but Post-Apocalyptic instead of Cyberpunk. But since it is Middle Earth related I thought it is still relevant enough to post here:


This is the story of how the world became to be as it now is.

If you are old enough (and Human) you probably remember there was a lot to do about the year 2012. There was this popular theory that the Earth would undergo a great change by the end of that year, possibly even be destroyed. Most sensible people however didn't put much faith in this idea. It turned out that the most sensible among us were wrong, and it wouldn't be the last time either.

Apparently a few decades ago an English professor had us all fooled and grew rich and famous doing so. Middle Earth is not a fictional setting dreamed up by J. R. R. Tolkien. Nor are Lord Of The Rings or The Hobbit simply fantasy stories, they are in fact ancient history. Tolkien happened upon real history and mythological stories of our prehistoric past. His books are simply translations of existing works.
How he came upon these is unknown. Rumors speak of artifacts or ruins unearthed by the bomb blasts while he was fighting in the trenches of World War I, ancient manuscripts in the university libraries and even of a hidden people, short in stature living in the English countryside.
For over half a century no know one knew that Middle Earth was anything but an elaborate fantasy setting, until 21 December 2012.

In Tolkien's writings references can be found of the Dagor Dagorath, the Battle of Battles at the end of the world. The time when Morgoth will escape from beyond the Door of Night and fight with all his forces a last battle against his enemies. This had been prophesied, it was certain to happen, nobody knew when however. But apparently the world itself did know.
During the Fourth Age of the Sun all races in Middle Earth except Mankind dwindled and faded into nearly nothingness. Hardly anything was left of them until a few centuries ago. Just the most insignificant of remnants hidden in the wilds or deep underground. Then suddenly, as if in response to an unheard a signal, it all changed.
Some of the former glory of when the world was younger was swiftly returning. Under the earth the last Orcs, Trolls and Dragons bred to become great in both numbers and ferociousness again. As did the Dwarves in their last mountain halls. In the wilderness wolves bore great cunning Wargs and the last giant spiders spawned new offspring. Certain ancient trees were remembered what they were in the earlier Ages and awakened again. The faded Elves that never had gone West regained their corporeal bodies. Eventually even slain Maiar reduced to being no more than lowly spirits recovered much of their former power.
And meanwhile they all just waited for that last battle to begin.

Although I was just a child back then, I remember those first news stories a few days before Christmas. Across much of the world isolated villages and towns were found mysteriously empty, only a few mutilated corpses were left. Nobody knew what had happened back then. Everyone knew a few days later. Raiding Orcs and Trolls were suddenly almost everywhere. And although they were armed with only medieval weaponry and had some issues with daylight (Trolls especially) the great military might of 21st century Humanity appeared to be losing. The enemy's numbers were simply too great, they caught us by surprise and they were everywhere. Besides penetrating a Troll's hide with just bullets proved far from easy.
Still we probably would eventually have proven victorious if it wasn't for the Dragons. After New Year thousands of them surfaced in the arctic region and started spreading across the world. The great winged Fire-drakes were especially menacing, some destroyed entire armies in only minutes.
By the end of February Human civilization had all but collapsed. It only existed in a handful of large cities defended by the remnant of our military or small enclaves lucky enough to stay untouched. For the rest Mankind life had become a brutal day to day struggle for survival. Others had it even worse, they had been enslaved by the Orcs or their Maiar masters.

If I remember correctly things finally started looking up in the month of April. Ships were landing in great numbers on the shores of Western Europe. Nobody knew where they came from. Certainly not America or anywhere in between. Some religious people considered the fair occupants of these boats to be angels. They however called themselves Noldor Elves. And swiftly helped free these European coastal regions of Morgoth's forces. After a few months they even gained control of much of the British Isles. That is however where their campaign stopped. They believed their numbers were too few at the time to drive enemy forces away from more than just the British Isles and the Western European shores. Although popular opinion later speculated they might have been more unwilling instead of unable to do so.
In other parts of the world Dwarves and the native Elves fought Morgoth's creatures as well, but they didn't conquer that much terrain either.
By the end of 2013 it appeared that all battles had been fought for the time being. A quiet had spread over our transformed Earth. Both sides were now just waiting for Morgoth's return and the beginning of the last battle. This still hasn't happened...

After a few years of waiting for the Dagor Dagorath both the forces of light and dark started to grow restless. This was not happening as they expected it would and doubts started to pop up. Dissent started breaking up Morgoth's armies. Many started to wonder if Morgoth would ever return and started pursuing their own interests more and more.
Things were no better on our side. Many people started resenting the Noldor and their antiquated ideals. Especially cause they were willing and also capable of forcing them upon us. Weak and ineffectual as our collapsed governments were they were easily overshadowed by the might of these Elves. The Noldor had even dared openly reclaiming the British Isles as their own, being remnants of the Elvish kingdom of Lindon.
In the lands held by the Noldor the use of most technology that didn't at least precede the Industrial Revolution was discouraged or even forbidden. They considered it a corrupting influence upon humanity, a kind of dark sorcery that had its origin with the enemy. (Although the fact that they were incapable of using it probably played a roll as well, you'll never see an Elf fire a gun.) They felt much the same about democracy. Humanity should leave leadership to do those who were born to do so, who had it in their blood. So the Elves only recognized Human rulers who were natural leaders of which they believed had Dúnedain blood in their veins. The Noldor were also racist. Not only did they consider themselves superior to all other Elves on Earth and considered also all Elves superior to Humans. They also ranked certain Human races higher than others. Those that appeared to be of Dúnedain descent were held in the highest esteem. While Men of color were distrusted as likely servants of Morgoth. The latter were often banished from the lands held by the Noldor in some cases even killed.

Which brings us to the situation today, in the year 2036. Or as others call; the 24th year in the Seventh Age of the Sun.
The British Isles and a few small enclaves on the mainland are now Noldor lands. With their support much of Western Europe is ruled by the so called Neo-Dúnedain. An Ecofascist movement which developed from a number of Far Right, Environmental and Neopagan groups which strongly supported the Noldor. They prefer to talk in Sindarin among one another and translated all place names into the same language. In their kingdoms feudalism has returned and all modern technology has been banned. Those of North European descent are favored as those in which the blood of Thule (as some of them call Númenor occasionally) is the most present. While those of non-Caucasian ancestry are hardly tolerated.
The rest of the world you'll find a small Dwarven or Elvish kingdom here and there. But most of the world today is a patchwork of nations and city states ruled by Maiar, Dragons, Orc tribes and even some Humans. In America for instance there is a great Dragon ruling a kingdom from his lair in Fort Knox and there is a Balrog in charge of New York.
Morgoth's forces have completely fallen apart the last couple of decades. And it turns out that one can in some cases get along with some of these remnants. It turns out Tolkien's work was a one-sided account of what Orcs, Trolls, Dragons and such are really like. They are not simply evil and beyond any reason. Although they come from primitive and violent cultures you can deal with them. And like many other people I prefer to live alongside them instead of in the lands held by the Noldor or Neo-Dúnedain.


What do you think?

wild idea, not within the scope of TOR.... at all :-) As you say it's very shadow run....

I hope you and your gaming group have fun with it!

I'm curious what about the role of the valar loyal to (Eru?) are they absent? It sounds like mostly the only contact the world has had with the powers is with those corrupted by Morgoth....

Also do the trolls and orcs or dwarves for that matter start using firearms? How will you compaire an assault rifle to an axe? What about a general purpose machine gun?

what about the silvain elves? Is it only the Noldor and those who live under thier rule who shun modern technology? It would seem unbalenced to me if one side had swords and bows and the other side had grenades, machine guns, rocket launchers, land mines, etc....

(edited for horrible typos.. sorry about that)

And why aren't there any Hobbits in the Seventh Age?

I like to think a modern-day jet can take on a dragon, but that's just me.

Ancalagon the Black (reanimated) crits Marine Corps FA-18 Hornet Super Fighter-Bomber for 18,5467 damage. Marine Crops FA-18 Hornet Super Fighter-Bomber dies.

Then again, the FA-18 probably has higher speed and maneuverability than Ancalagon, and its missiles have longer range than the dragon's breath. And they'd operate in squadrons. I guess it's just how you look at it.

But I like the idea. Now I'm having thoughts of Nazgul riding Harley Davidson motorcycles.