The 7

[Angelalex242]

An idea that's been brought up a few times...

"Of the 7 Sauron recovered 3, and Dragons ate the other 4..."

What consequences might there be if one of the 7 was not in fact eaten...and just ended up on the hoard. To be later found by a PC Dwarf...

How would you even stat one of the big 7?

And how does it alter the campaign to have one of the big 7 active and NOT in enemy hands?

[Otaku-sempai]

For all practical purposes, I'm fairly sure that the stats for the Seven Dwarven Rings should be identical to the stats for the Nine. The Great Rings were not specifically crafted for either Dwarves or Men but just divvied up and handed out after they were made. It just happed that the nature of Dwarves meant that the Rings affected them differently than with Men (or Hobbits).

The Three Elven Rings were crafted without Sauron's help and have different qualities although they are still subject to the One.

The other question is where would a surviving Dwarf Ring be found? By the time that the Rings were made, at least three of the Houses of the Dwarves seem to have been concentrated in Moria (Durin's Folk and the survivors of Belegost and Nogrod from the Blue Mountains). The only clue of where the other Dwarf-clans might be found is that they all apparently started out in the East, awaking in the Orocarni (Mountains of the East) or the eastern end of the Iron Mountains. The Forest Dragon came to Mirkwood three hundred years ago. Could she have acquired one of the lost Dwarven Rings before that?

Actually, the Forest Dragon is lacking in a fearsome name and reputation. A more likely suspect might be Raenar, the Cold-drake who lairs North in the Withered Heath (from TfW).

[Wbweather]

I have had the idea of enlisting several fans of the game to put together a Saruman centric campaign where the wizard enlists PC's to search for one of the 7 in various dens of dragons and former dwarf strongholds. I thought it also might be interesting if the PC's are involved in the recovery of Isildur's remains. It would be an interesting way to explore Saruman's transformation and ultimate betrayal.

[poosticks7]

I have had the idea of enlisting several fans of the game to put together a Saruman centric campaign where the wizard enlists PC's to search for one of the 7 in various dens of dragons and former dwarf strongholds. I thought it also might be interesting if the PC's are involved in the recovery of Isildur's remains. It would be an interesting way to explore Saruman's transformation and ultimate betrayal.

Oooo that sounds interesting.

[Rue]

I have had the idea of enlisting several fans of the game to put together a Saruman centric campaign where the wizard enlists PC's to search for one of the 7 in various dens of dragons and former dwarf strongholds. I thought it also might be interesting if the PC's are involved in the recovery of Isildur's remains. It would be an interesting way to explore Saruman's transformation and ultimate betrayal.

That sounds like a ton of fun! Saruman is an interesting character to me, since his arc provides plenty of blank space for adventurers to participate in.

[TheMonarchGamer]

I have had the idea of enlisting several fans of the game to put together a Saruman centric campaign where the wizard enlists PC's to search for one of the 7 in various dens of dragons and former dwarf strongholds. I thought it also might be interesting if the PC's are involved in the recovery of Isildur's remains. It would be an interesting way to explore Saruman's transformation and ultimate betrayal.

Spiffy. I think there were some MERP adventures that dealt w/ Saruman and missions for him; you might scour some of these for ideas. Almost all of the MERP books are free on Scribed.
-TMG

[Angelalex242]

I was under the impression the 7 and the 9 are in fact different.

The last canon possessors of one of the 7 was Thror and Thrain. Neither of them ended up wraiths.

From what I recall reading, it sounds like the 7 get a double strength Dragon Sickness Shadow Weakness for wearing their rings (That greed!), but otherwise get a lot of goodies.

Adding to this idea is the fact Sauron recovered 3 of the 7 and never came up with the bright idea of having 3 dwarven Nazgul join the 9.

[TheMonarchGamer]

I was under the impression the 7 and the 9 are in fact different.

The last canon possessors of one of the 7 was Thror and Thrain. Neither of them ended up wraiths.

From what I recall reading, it sounds like the 7 get a double strength Dragon Sickness Shadow Weakness for wearing their rings (That greed!), but otherwise get a lot of goodies.

Adding to this idea is the fact Sauron recovered 3 of the 7 and never came up with the bright idea of having 3 dwarven Nazgul join the 9.

Three dwarven Nazgul... I just might have to make that cannon in my game!
I think they would demand too much spirit ale.

But seriously, weren't they too incompatible? Didn't it say somewhere that their minds were like clockwork machines and that he couldn't control them the same way?
-TMG

[Angelalex242]

http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Seven_Rings

For what it's worth.

The Dwarf Lords proved resistant to the malevolent magic of the rings, which could not even turn them invisible. The rings amplified their wearer's natural skills and desire of dominion which as a consequence, they became greedy and exceedingly rich; the Rings gave them the power to multiply whatever they mined.

So it looks like Dwarven Rings set it up such that you get that double strength shadow weakness of 'dragon's sickness' and in turn, get...a double strength 'Stiff Neck of the Dwarves' virtue and the ability to turn every point of treasure you have into 3 or 4 of them?

[Otaku-sempai]

I was under the impression the 7 and the 9 are in fact different.

The last canon possessors of one of the 7 was Thror and Thrain. Neither of them ended up wraiths.

That is because the Dwarves proved resistant to the power of the Rings. They did not become subservient to Sauron's will or gain longer life; nor did the Rings make them invisible. Instead the Rings enhanced their greed. This was not because there was any difference between the Seven and the Nine; it was because of the nature of the Dwarves.