Variant Cultures

[Michebugio]

Inspired by the variant cultures in Heart of the Wild (i.e. the Wild Hobbits and the Woodmen of Mountain Hall), I had some fun developing these additional variant Cultures based on those present in the Adventurer’s book.

Ideas were mainly given by the folks described in the aforementioned Heart of the Wild, and in some cases the variations are very soft, though well motivated.

Enjoy and comment, please!

DWARVES OF THE IRON HILLS

Base Culture: Dwarves of the Lonely Mountain

The Dwarves of the Iron Hills fought several battles during the War of the Dwarves and Orcs, and they are known for being some of the most fierce and elite of all Dwarf armies. After the Battle of the Five Armies, Dàin Ironfoot became the new King under the Mountain and he relocated to Erebor with many of his people, but not all. The folk still living in the Iron Hills mines iron, not gold; for this reason the Dwarves of the Iron Hills, although prosperous, are not as wealthy as their other cousins.

Change their skills as follows: Battle 2, Riddle 1.

Change their Standard of Living to Prosperous.

WAYWARD ELVES

Base Culture: Elves of Mirkwood

While most of Thranduil’s subjects heed their king’s commands, some Elves are loath to leave their play. These Elves are unwilling to fight, preferring to melt away into the woods and hide. They delight in trickery, in bewitching or befuddling mortals, and in petty-magics and illusions.
Called Wayward Elves, they are a small but growing faction within the Woodland Realm. They devote themselves to the pursuit of pleasure and amusement, and their japes are often cruel. So far, their jokes have all been harmless fun, but the wilder the Elves grow, the less care they have for the safety of mortals.
The Wayward Elves chafe under Thranduil’s rule, believing that he is too solicitous of Men and too worried about the shadow of things to come.

Change their skills as follows: Battle 0, Hunting 2, Lore 1, Riddle 2, Stealth 3.

Change their Standard of Living to Frugal.

Wayward Elves cannot ever choose the Shadow Bane Cultural Virtue, nor can they choose the Fellowship phase undertaking Study with the Lampmaker (The Heart of the Wild, page 79).

In addition, when spending Hope to activate effects from the Cultural Virtues Wood-elf Magic or The Call of Mirkwood (The Heart of the Wild, page 77), they can choose to immediately recover the Hope point they just spent and gain a Shadow point instead.

BREE HOBBITS

Base Culture: Hobbits of the Shire

Bree is a very ancient township of Men. The first Hobbits came there from the east in about the year 1300 of the Third Age, making Bree the only place in the world where Hobbits and Men live together side by side. Their interaction with the Tall Folk made them more open to the outside world than their parochial cousins in the Shire.

Change their skills as follows: Explore 1, Insight 2, Stealth 2.

RESPECTABLE HOBBITS

Base culture: Hobbits of the Shire

A respectable Hobbit is exactly how a Hobbit is expected to be within his society: a well-ordered gentleman who has never left the Shire, with a love for strong traditions and a dislike for anything out of the ordinary – especially adventures.

Change their skills as follows: Craft 1, Travel 0, and Courtesy 4.

In addition, you must choose one of the following weapon skill sets:

1) Short sword 1, Bow 1, Dagger 1
2) Bow 1, Short sword 1, Dagger 1

MEN OF THE RIVER RUNNING

Base Culture: Men of the Lake.

Men of the River Running are rugged frontier-men living on the banks of the Celduin river, in the eastern outskirts of Mirkwood and farther in the south-eastern part of Rhovanion. They are merchants like Esgaroth’s folk but more used to live through the harshness of the wild.

Change their skills as follows: Awareness 2, Courtesy 0, Craft 1, Explore 2.

In addition, change their Standard of Living to Martial.

MOUNTAIN-MEN

Base Culture: Beornings.

Men dwell in small numbers in the mountains between the High Pass and the Eyrie. These folk are as hard and stern as the places they call home, and speak their own strange tongue as well as the Common Speech. They serve Beorn, but remain suspicious and private even when among fellow Beornings. “As tough as the Mountain-men,” say the Beornings, but when they are gone they also say “as cold as the Mountain-men”.

Change their skills as follows: Awe 1, Inspire 0, Riddle 3, Travel 1.

Change their Standard of Living to Frugal.

In addition, you must choose one of the following weapon skill sets:

1) Great axe 2, Spear 1, Dagger 1
2) (Spears) 2, Axe 1, Dagger 1

WOODMEN OF MOUNTAIN HALL

Base Culture: Woodmen of the Wilderland

See Heart of the Wild but in addition, they must choose their Traits from the following list, which replaces that described in the Adventurer’s book:

Anduin-lore, Fishing, Herb-lore, Leechcraft, Mountaineer, Stone-craft

WOODMEN OF RHOSGOBEL

Base Culture: Woodmen of the Wilderland

The presence of Radagast the Brown Wizard has been greatly beneficial to the Woodmen dwelling in Rhosgobel, and his teachings and sage advices have made them a more peaceful and wise folk.

Their skills change as follows: Battle 0, Lore 1.

WOODMEN OF WOODLAND HALL

Base Culture: Woodmen of the Wilderland

The Woodmen of Woodland Hall represent the “base” Woodmen of the Wilderland as described in the Adventurer’s book.

WOODMEN OF WOODMEN TOWN

Base Culture: Woodmen of the Wilderland

With a history going back for more than nine hundred years, the House of Woodmen-town reunites the most prominent families of the Woodmen (even if Woodland Hall is the largest dwelling of their folk). Its council of Elders is given precedence in all folk-moots, and many war-leaders have been chosen among its warriors and chieftains.

Their skills change as follows: Awe 1, Riddle 0.

[Deadmanwalking]

I think Respectable Hobbits are as bit too far from the baseline assumptions of the game, to be honest. Literally no other culture starts with either more Common Skill or less Weapon Skill points, and I rather think that's a good thing. Ditto nobody starting with any Common Skills at 4. I'd leave weapon skills alone, and just ditch Travel for Craft and maybe some other slight skill reassignments.

Other than that, those all look quite serviceable.

[Falenthal]

They allow for a bit more of customization at character creation, without changing too much the concepts of every culture. I specially like the changes to the Hobbits, although they're also the greater ones. I agree that maybe Courtesy 4 is too much, but not a big deal.

Would you be so brave as to throw in some modified Cultural Blessings?

[zedturtle]

I think Respectable Hobbits should have Dagger 2. Also, instead of Culture 4, push Insight up instead.

[Glorelendil]

If there were a variant Hobbit with only dagger 1 for weapon skills, and maybe a couple extra skill points to compensate, I'd play it.

[Michebugio]

I think Respectable Hobbits are as bit too far from the baseline assumptions of the game, to be honest. Literally no other culture starts with either more Common Skill or less Weapon Skill points, and I rather think that's a good thing. Ditto nobody starting with any Common Skills at 4. I'd leave weapon skills alone, and just ditch Travel for Craft and maybe some other slight skill reassignments.

I know that no other culture starts with similar skill arrays, but this was intentional. A Respectable Hobbit simply cannot be good at fighting, and taking away 1 point from the favoured weapon skill should grant you exactly the equivalent of 4 additional previous experience points. Hence, Courtesy was pushed from 3 to 4, like spending experience points during character creation.

Some people might appreciate this, since it's just almost a cosmetic change, albeit balanced in terms of game mechanics. I just couldn't find any other equivalent to compensate the loss of weapon proficiency.

I think Respectable Hobbits should have Dagger 2. Also, instead of Culture 4, push Insight up instead.

Maybe a single weapon set like: Dagger 2, Bow 1 would be appropriate too, but then you would have just 2 experience points to add to common skills. Also, pushing Insight up? I was even thinking that a Respectable Hobbit should have less Insight than his adventuring counterpart!

If there were a variant Hobbit with only dagger 1 for weapon skills, and maybe a couple extra skill points to compensate, I'd play it.

A weapon skill set of only Dagger 1 would mean 8 extra previous experience point during character creation, so you can do it.

Also, as a pure speculation, Dagger is actually a weapon group, encompassing Dagger, Brawling and Throwing. So you could make two weapon sets for your Hobbit, while still keeping those extra 8 experience points:

1) (Dagger) 1
2) Throwing 1

Would you be so brave as to throw in some modified Cultural Blessings?

I've already done something similar for the Woodmen, but I think I will post something soon in this topic.

[Falenthal]

If there were a variant Hobbit with only dagger 1 for weapon skills, and maybe a couple extra skill points to compensate, I'd play it.

Well, some Hobbits can surely use an axe, being woodmen or crafters or just because they need wood for their chimneys and to heat the tea kettles.

A Hobbit with Axe 1, Dagger 2 (for Throwing) is not so far fetched to me. At least, less than a Hobbit from the Shire who is trained to use a Short Sword.

[Glorelendil]

I liked the "Respectable" idea, which I am sort of equating with the "Witty Gentleman" background.

Of course, I don't need a variant. I could just play by RAW and ignore my other weapon skills.

By the way, I've split a lot of wood in my life and dropped a few trees with an axe, but I wouldn't equate that with knowing how to use it in a fight.

[Halbarad]

You sound like you might be handy in a fight against Ents.

[Falenthal]

By the way, I've split a lot of wood in my life and dropped a few trees with an axe, but I wouldn't equate that with knowing how to use it in a fight.

I bet you know which side has to be directed at the foe. That's one skill rank better than me.
And I'm 0 ranks at (Axes).