The most recent Issue of this Middle-earth RPG Fanzine has been published. Inside you'll find:

• Editorial: some ramblings about the latest news and situation of Middle-earth gaming.
• Inside Information: The latest news about Other Minds, its future and recent developments.
• The Road Goes Ever On: Links related to roleplaying in Middle-earth.
• The One Ring (TOR): A detailed review of the most recent incarnation of officially licensed games based on 'The Hobbit' and 'The Lord of the Rings'.
• The Art of Magic for TOR: Suggestions for spell magic within the TOR framework. Based on an earlier contribution in Issue #10
• Iglishmêk: Using the secret gesture language(s) of the Dwarves in a roleplaying environment
• Population and Urbanization in Eriador: Thoughts about and numbers for the Eriadorian demography throughout the Third Age, including maps.
• Appendix: Tables and Maps for the Population article plus a TOC for all Issues so far.

The team of Other Minds wish you all a good read, inspiration and fun with this Issue and we all hope to see you in the next one as well.

You may find the Issue here.

For the OM team
Cheers
Tolwen

So, I spent an hour I didn't have poring over POPULATION AND URBANIZATION IN ERIADOR. Great stuff and fun reading.

Looks very nice, I hope to peruse it at length over the next few days.

The Art of Magic is very interesting. I like the subtle nature of it, and for the most part think it would add to rather than take away from the system. I think it would definitely be nice in a First or Second Age setting. I really liked the hobbit use of "Healing Herbs and Pipe-weed". It reminded me of the Lore-master Rez in LotRO.

I'm glad to see this magazine embracing The One Ring.

Yours in fellowship,
Stephen "Trotter"

I just discovered Other Minds two days ago, when Tolwen directed me to some articles in issues 1 and 2. They have already been immensely helpful in thinking about the Easterlings, which is my current preoccupation. Looking forward to pouring over other back issues, as well as this new one!

Good to hear you found them useful! Please note that there also back Issues of our predecessor magazine Other Hands which can be found here. In Other Minds, Issue 10 there is also a short description of the making of these PDF versions of the old hardcopy magazine.

Cheers
Tolwen

Thanks, Tolwen!

I didn't realize that there was such a vibrant Middle-earth RPG community out there. This is all awesome stuff!

It is. And I myself discovered OH relatively late about 1998 or so. But then I got into full swing
It ended quite abruptly, but all this can be read in context and detail in OM1

Enjoy the Issues. It's quite a lot to read, but well worth it!

Cheers
Tolwen

Art of Magic Review

The Art of Magic is probably the most well-thought out fan-based magic system I've ever come across. I can see this is a labour of love, so the effort and willingness to share with the community is much appreciated.

I was struck by how simple, subtle and complete the system is. Unlike most systems where each spell has a dozen or so attributes, Daniel has managed to express each spell by specifying nothing more than a common skill, TN and concise effect/description!

The Magic Paths that Daniel has specified are comprehensive and complete, with 80 spells split evenly amongst 16 paths ... and the spells fit the path and setting very well IMHO. Note that every skill apart from Explore and Hunting is used, and Song is the most used skill. The optional Cultures and Magic Paths restrictions (which I'd highly recommend) use every path except The Path of Nienna.

The only minor quibbles I had, and they probably reflect my preferences more than any issues with the system, are the accumulation of permanent shadow points for the use of some Path of Aule spells, the fact that each spell requires a virtue, and the use of conventional RPG terms (e.g. Apprentice) to describe each of the mastery levels.

For my first quibble I'd argue that normal shadow points are severe enough (usually requiring a Fellowship Phase undertaking to remove). For my second, I'd probably impose a lore prerequisite and add a magic virtue for the entire culture if they didn't already have one (e.g. a Dwarf would need the Fire-making trait and the Broken Spells virtue, a Hobbit would require Herb-lore and a 'Hobbit-magic' virtue). As per the normal rules the virtue would grant one spell for free and each subsequent spell would require a Fellowship Phase undertaking and XP expenditure equal to the spell level (i.e. 1 for an Apprentice level spell, 5 for a Wizard level spell). For my last minor quibble I'd replace the mastery terms with the standard difficulty terms (and/or travel TN runes) so that instead of a character learning/casting a Journeyman spell they'd be learning/casting a hard spell.

Again, these are minor quibbles that in no way detract from my overall appreciation of the system.

Thanks Tolwen. Excellent as always!

HN

I have uploaded a fixed version of OM13. The most important changes are in the cover page credits (one artist was forgotten initially) and the "Towerhills" link in The Road Goes ever On. Beside that, only one or two superficial format fixes.

Cheers
Tolwen

The Art of Magic article also had a few minor, mostly cosmetic, issues.

• Restful Dreams (quote breaks spell name line)
• Improved Rest (quote breaks spell name line)
• Song of Victory (quote breaks spell name line)
• Dark Smoke and Burning Sparks (quote breaks spell name line)
• Huorns (quote should appear after spell name)
• Might of Arms (quote should follow spell name not preceded it)
• Journeyman: Major Healing (Healing, TN 18) -> should be Magician
• Magician: Hands of the Healer (Healing, TN 20) -> should be Wizard

OK. Fixed (plus a couple of other cosmetic issues). Hopefully they will get less as time goes by

Cheers
Tolwen

My two cents on Daniel's excellent article "The Art of Magic":

He has indeed given magic a lot of thought as to how it operates in Middle-earth, and I can recommend to anyone who has not looked to check out his fuller system in an earlier Other Minds article (I forget which).

In regards to how his system 'works' for TOR, I think this will do well, except for some minor quibbles:

1. As a fan of the Decipher magic system I see no problem with PC's having several 'low-power' type spells. The main concern I have with Daniel's system is that (especially for beginning players) there does not seem to be much incentive to playing a magic-using type as it is very difficult to learn - does seem to require a lot of xp's (or other) to be able to cast more than one spell. One of my original pet hates of the old D&D was this very notion - the magic user would cast his one spell for the day and then be practically useless for the rest of the session! What I liked about Decipher's magic system was that it made it practical for a player to be a magic-user but still feel appropriately 'Tolkien', in the sense of 'low-powered' type spells.

2. Can Daniel's system explain a character who does not choose a clear Path - is it possible to be a 'generalist' in magic? I am not sure this is possible with Daniel's system. And what about those cultures who do not worship the Valar clearly but mixtures of them - surely these cultures have a magical tradition as well??

Robin S.

It is in Issue #10.

It should be not too great a problem to adjust this to an easier learning.

The latter is a good point IMO. It may be even not common to differentiate along this system. The same spells can very well be sorted in another system which emphasizes for example the intent of the spell rather the Vala it is associated with.

Concerning learning spells from other "realms", the solution found in HârnMastermight be an idea. There you have six realms of magic called convocations. For a graphic image they are arranged like in a wheel, with each convocation having "neighbours" and an opposite convocation. Each convocation represents a spiritual belief or principle. You can learn those of your own convocation most easily, its neighbours are more difficult, the "neighbours 2nd degree" (i.e. those after the direct neighbours) already quite difficult and those from the "opposite" convocation extremely hard since its principle is diametral to your own one. In addition there are more refinements for this system, that make it even more fine-grained.

In principle, something similar like this system could also be arranged for Vaco's system.

Cheers
Tolwen

Aiya, mellyn tolkiendili:

I thank Trotter, Ashley and Robin for their nice comments. I hope you enjoy it! I am shy and joyful at the same time. Thanks!
It has not pretension to be nothing more than an alternative magic system. I hope it captures the feeling of Middle-earth and help in the gaming experience.

I think the feeling of many goes that way. But let's say it is also my proposal that such magics can and do exist in the late Third Age.

Yeah. I do also. This is exactly the kind of magic that I deem Hobbits able.

Agreed. The point of it is to limit the "magic items" production in the long run. But your alternative seems to be completly congruent, and so I would adopt it as "official" in this magic system.

Well, that is a secondary effect of TOR itself, since I did try to stay true to its low-magic scenario. It is also true that I have no "magic-user" stereotype on my head, but more a "normal" individuum with magic talent. I have the impression that TOR doesn't allows a non-combat oriented character. If you want to play with the idea of a "magic-user/healer/holy man" as a House Rule you could allow to ignore the combat skills in exchange of one or two free wisdom/valour (or Virtues/Rewards) so as to have another kind of Hero.
Here I would let you decide for yourselves the right way to go, since in my own view the ideal would be "freeform" advancing. But a system that depends on power balance needs ways to keep it.

Well, I must say in my defence that I tried to go away from conventional RPG terms, and I used more descriptive terms (like "Apprentice" ;P ). But maybe I am way to old for that. Anyway, that is of no importance. You can call the different mastery levels as you want, and I will keep in mind your suggestions when I work on it again.

You can be "generalist" and also "hedge magician". I all comes on how you want to play it. There are no rules for it in this TOR incarnation, but I am sure you can work some house rule to fit your personal taste. Remember here is no canon you could break, but ideas you could use.

Exactly that is the meaning of it all. The "Paths of Magic" have the names of the Valar and are modeled to their natures. But the intention is that they also allow to use the same Paths as "domains" for those cultures that do not know the real names of the Valar (like Araw with the men of Rhovanion).
Here comes a little bit of Tolkienesque Theology: the Valar were worshiped as Gods by manish cultures. That is that even if different hues, they are always the same ones (if not all at one time). All other "Gods" are to be adscribed to Morgoth and Sauron, and their "power" comes from the mordo (or the corrupted energy of Morgoth as part of creation) as "black magic". Such thoughts are interesant to follow, but need more (much more) place to discuse and to develope a passing system. But enough to say that I think the Valar identification with the Paths of Magic pass very well on the scenario, and you should only play a little bit with the outer form of them.
All in all enjoy the magic system and feel free to alter it where necesary, or to use it to develope even new ways to interpret magic in Middle-earth. I would be honoured to see that it comes into your playing sesions.
All good to you!
Namarie
VACO