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Elfcrusher wrote:

Falenthal wrote:That's an interesting and nice way to put it. I like to know (as far as I can) what the canon is. Sometimes investigating the canon you discover things that give great ideas for adventures... with the benefit of being true to Tolkien. Like the unexplained disapperance of Radagast in LotR.

But if I come up with any idea that seem believable in Middle-Earth, even if it's not canon, I go for it if it seems fun for me and my players.

Two thumbs up for this post.

The canon isn't a sacred text; it's a story. Participating in telling that story is a lot more fun than just interpreting it.

Elfcrusher, I'm not going to forgive you for your explosive joke about the contents of Ruins of the North.
Try harder.

Southron Loremaster wrote:I do understand Rocmistro's concerns about the Local Hero being set aside for the more powerful Rangers and Noldor. As for the canon of a group full of Noldor only there are the Wandering Companies. Also for the Rangers, there was the group that defended Sarn Ford and ones who camped at Deadman's Dike. However, there is a bit about Bree being used to seeing Rangers, Elves, Dwarves, and Hobbits, so Bree could be a starting point for a mixed company.

But, it seems there is a in game mechanic that might make the former mentioned characters more challenging.

I am guessing that Breeland will be a future supplement similar to Laketown.

Also as far a Eriador being empty IIRC Boromir and Saruman encountering others on their respective ways North. Not to say that there were megacities but that there are at least enough along the Greenway to have some contact with others.

Sticking to the nature of Tolkien's story, as well as respecting the depth of the history and personalities in Middle-Earth (something jackson failed at miserably) is about as much as you can do while RP'ing in Arda. Tolkien went to an enormous effort, pre-rpg, to create a detailed and deep fantasy setting. Not for gaming in (intentionally), but for imagineering in. I think the best we could do is to respect the word of Tolkien, his world and his passion. In my mind, it means Glorfindel at the Ford of Rivendell and not Liv Tyler, Tom Bombadil, mysterious echoes of the song in lost valleys, and keeping the ancient history that is the foundation of Middle-Earth.

I've made sure to bathe deeply in the lore before I started running any games, so that my players feel a part of the whole setting, not just the modern movie smear.