Hi all. I'm new to these forums and the game. Having a great time learni9ng the game and reading the posts. I've loved Tolkien's works for many many years. I have a question...what do you all think about a campaign set a few years into the 4th Age, around 15 4A? I was thinking that Eldarion, son of Aragorn and Arwen, could befriend one of the PC's, and go from there.

Certainly doable I'm sure, but I'd wait until Errantries of the King and War of the Ring are released, giving you more background and more cultures, etc...

Heck I'm even thinking of using the system from The One Ring for non-Tolkien gaming (not all of my players like Tolkien...I know, shocking...)

Slightly OT, but I agree. I think there's probably a decent Cthulhu hack in there, for example. Rules for losing hope and going mad are always a good start!

Hi Caldarion,

I have two notices for you that may help you in designing something in the Fourth Age (whether in the very early one as you hinted at or far away down the timeline).
MERP once had an adventure set in exactly your timeframe (Palantír Quest) that deals with the heroes' group being engaged in the search for the two northern palantíri that were lost at the fall of Arthedain more than a thousand years ago.

It is long out-of-print of course, but it regularly shows up at internet auctions.

The other hint (more geared towards either 'alternative realities' or a scope of the full Fourth Age, but still with useful material for early 4A settings) can be found in the free online Middle-earth roleplaying fanzine Other Minds (link see my signature), Issue #9 from February 2010. I am sure you will find useful material for the 4A campaign of your preference there!

Best
Tolwen

Thank you so much Tolwen! I'll check them out

I had the plan to do something similar.

You may also want to check out what Tolkein himself began writing about the New Shadow, set in the Fourth Age. He scrapped the story roughly 30 pages in. I think he realized he was writing his own fan-fic. :-P

Regardless, it may be a further source of inspiration, and an understanding of the Prof's thought process.

This idea has been incorporated into the hypothetical 4A timeline in The Heirs of Elessar and the Fourth Age in said 'Other Minds' Issue

Best
Tolwen

Thanks for all your replies everyone. That Other Minds magazine is really well-done. Going to have a lot of fun going through them.

Hi Caldarion,

As the author of one of the articles for the Other Minds magazine on the Fourth Age, will be happy to assist you or answer any queries you have. I will say that the time you have chosen (F.A year 15 or thereabouts) is a very good one for adventurers, as King Elessar is looking for aid in lots of places to help 'cleaning up the mess'.

Tom

Thank you Robin, I will take you up on that kind offer!

Back in the day, I had considered something very similar for Decipher's version of the game. I had set things in the Shire, ≈70 years into 4A. Sam, Pippin, and Merry were all gone from the Shire (Sam had taken the mithril coat & Sting from the Mathom House (No PCs grabbing those tidbits! ). Strider was still king, plus Legolas & Gimli were still tromping around somewhere, but that was about it from "the old days." I think it's a great way to explore a more "open" part of the setting.