Eriador my way

[PST]

As I get more into developing the second part of my current TOR campaign I thought I'd add my ideas, notes, problems and general thoughts into a thread here rather than just in my trello campaign plan and assorted folders and google docs.

To head off an obvious comment, I know Ruins of the North is right around the corner, and it will be an immediate purchase for me when the pre-order goes up, but i'm trying to expand on Rivendell to the level of Heart of the Wild for a richer campaign. I'm also aware that there's a good chance Gareth Hanrahan is working on some more Eriador-material based on his twitter posts, but that will most probably come out some time after I need it, as I'm 6-10 sessions away from the campaign moving across the Misty Mountains. Alas, this means that whatever does come out (assuming it's not a con scenario) will probably be too late to include.

Eriador, for me, was always more interesting than Wilderland. However, as I came to think seriously about gaming between the sea and the Mountains in the period (having run several campaigns set earlier in the third age using assorted systems in the past), however, I realised that Wilderland is actually a far better locale for TOR campaigns as written.

In part this is because of the ready-availability of threats, the central location of Mirkwood and its own flavour, the varied regions around it and the high number of potential sanctuaries and patrons.

Eriador as described by JRRT doesn't have that.

For potential sanctuaries we have the obvious one of Rivendell, then the Shire - most likely for hobbits only (though you could make an argument that it was a sanctuary for Gandalf as well), Bree sort of counts, sort of doesn't. And we can stretch to include the Blue Mountains and The Gray Havens, though they're even further off the beaten track (such that there is one). Then for patrons who reside West of the mountains we have Elrond. In theory I might add Gildor Inglorion and possibly some others of Elrond's household but that does put all the eggs in one basket for patrons.

For obvious threats and places of danger we have Angmar, Mount Gram, Goblin Town, The Barrow Downs, The Old Forest and The Trollshaws.

To this we can add the possibility of outcasts in the chetwood or Midgewater Marshes, something to do with the old 'evil looking' forts, towers and keeps of Rhudaur mentioned in both The Hobbit and Fellowship and Dunlendings. After 2953 Saruman placed spies/agents in Bree and the Southfarthing, with a logical supposition that he might have had agents rooting around Eregion looking for scraps of ring lore as well.

The biggest issue with adventures in Eriador, or trying to get a feel for the place and have people to care about is the general dearth of civilisation. Shire-Bree------------Rivendell. And that's it. We have the Lossoth far, far to the North, which has a potential Palantir plot to use there, the supposition of Dunedain in the Angle and an argument that there are Dunedain between the Lhun and Ered Luin. Then there are fisher-folk on the coast of Minhiriath and foresters/trappers and a generally undeveloped culture in the forest of Eryn Vorn. The Blue Mountains and the Gray Havens aren't really applicable as places to go back and forth to.

As far as developing settlements and 'people for the heroes to care about' we have Tolkien's 100 leagues quote to contend with, which I'm going to be wavy-handed about. Nothing the size of Bree, nothing new but some old settlements, cities, towns and villages might still linger as very faded remnants of their former glories. Which is, in essence the overall feel of the whole region, faded glory, the lost and near-forgotten lands that once-were.

Key things to address
Bree and what to do with it (who runs the Prancing Pony?). Also Staddle/Combe/Archet and their descriptions
Other settlements, Arthedain, Cardolan, where were the villages the trolls ate and are there any more.
Travel and Trade
Eregion expansion and details
The Forsaken Inn - occupied or not?

Campaign sources and references
Rivendell
HOME, Silmarillion etc.
Essays by Michael Martinez
Other Hands & Other Minds magazines, especially OM 13 on demographics
Arnor The Land/Arnor The People/Bree & The Barrow Downs, Angmar by ICE (judiciously mined and discarded to bring up to the 'current' timeline.

For maps i'm working on a new complete map for West of the Mountains having finally completed my collection of MERP maps in hardcopy (and though MERP's size of Rhudaur is wrong, as is the overall continent, Fenlon is responsible for my love of maps in general) and an addiction to the cartographers guild website for tools, brushes, techniques etc.

[PST]

Patrons

Cirdan the Shipwright really doesn't feel like a Patron to me. In part because of how removed The Gray Havens are and also because of his limited agency. He gives Gandalf his ring, sends emissaries to The White Council but is primarily there to facilitate the passage of Elves to Aman. He could see use as a loremaster to go to concerning some obscure lore of the first age, or send a messenger to the company asking them for help to do with something involving a wandering company but I don't see him as having a major role.

Bree: No one. Barliman's probably not born yet, and I don't see him as a Patron even after he's running the Pony. There's no other mentioned figure of notable authority in Bree (we could argue it might have a never-mentioned mayor or alderman.

Shire: Fortinbras II is the current Thain and while I could see him asking for <something> from the company, I don't see him as a Patron. Likewise the office of Mayor (while we don't know who holds the post at this time) doesn't feel like a Patron.

Blue Mountains: We don't know who rules the Dwarves here and likewise I'm not sure there's a Patron here.

Dunedain: Aragorn is in his early twenties at this point. I'm not sure he's a Patron but might feature before he goes off on his wandering south and east. There are doubtless other senior rangers but nothing's leaping out at the moment though there's a slim possibility of an NPC Ranger patron.

Rivendell:
Elrond - obvious
Arwen - probably not a patron
Erestor - maybe, duplication with Elrond?
Glorfindel - doesn't feel right
Elladan/Erestor - maybe as travel or hunt companions but not really feeling them as patrons (note, add a fellowship undertaking of hunting with them).
Gandalf - possible
Saruman - possible

[Láthspell]

I think Bilbo Baggins would be an obvious choice for a Patron in the Shire. He is known to have remained in contact with the Dwarves of Erebor up until his Birthday disappearing trick and departure for Rivendell. In terms of The One Ring material he is the primary financial backer for the Easterly Inn across the Misty Mountains. While he may have first met Aragorn while living in Rivendell, it is possible he may have had some knowledge of the Rangers before hand as well. In any case, he strikes me as the sort of person who would be interested and have a stake in the events taking place in Eriador.

[Angelalex242]

I'd be worried about metagame if Bilbo were a Patron. Every player ever knows exactly what's on his mantlepiece, and there's TN 20 (or higher!) corruption checks involved in trying to avoid taking it.

One way to start a campaign, i suppose, as only Hobbits and people with Wisdom 6 tend to be able to tell the One Ring to go Kriff itself.

"You fail a corruption check and take the Ring from Bilbo..."

[Mim]

As far as developing settlements and 'people for the heroes to care about' we have Tolkien's 100 leagues quote to contend with, which I'm going to be wavy-handed about. Nothing the size of Bree, nothing new but some old settlements, cities, towns and villages might still linger as very faded remnants of their former glories. Which is, in essence the overall feel of the whole region, faded glory, the lost and near-forgotten lands that once-were.

Man, am I glad you posted this - I'm struggling with many of the same issues. In particular, how are you handling the 100 leagues problem in terms of one of these forgotten villages?

Briefly, I'd also like to insert a patron and/or sanctuary somewhere between The Shire and Rivendell for the reasons you share, but it's tricky to stay (mostly) canon. One idea I'm considering is using this quote from page 32 of Rivendell:

Few now remain; certainly no settlements exist east of Bree that are larger than a hidden hamlet or well-defended farmstead.

Supposing such a "hidden hamlet or well-defended farmstead" exists within or near the Bree-land (in whichever direction fits) during the period of 2954-2977, but vanishes by the time the Hobbits reach Bree in 3018? It's similar to the point in TfW about the Easterly Inn subsequently disappearing (without further protection).

It's a stretch and I'm curious to hear what you decide.

[Bram Corolev]

I think Bilbo Baggins would be an obvious choice for a Patron in the Shire. He is known to have remained in contact with the Dwarves of Erebor up until his Birthday disappearing trick and departure for Rivendell. In terms of The One Ring material he is the primary financial backer for the Easterly Inn across the Misty Mountains. While he may have first met Aragorn while living in Rivendell, it is possible he may have had some knowledge of the Rangers before hand as well. In any case, he strikes me as the sort of person who would be interested and have a stake in the events taking place in Eriador.

If you use the Cubicle 7 Ruins of The North material, Bilbo is actually in Rivendell doing research according to the preview that was just posted.

[Mithrandir]

In Lotr online, Dwallin has come to the Ered Luin as thier leader.

There is a canon quote that

Dwalin was one of seven of the ten Dwarves of Thorin's company who were still living in Erebor when Frodo came to Rivendell, as reported by Glóin.

This was in 3018, so for purists who like the idea perhaps he leaves after the war. I think Dwallin would make a good Patron however and i can see the Longbeards sending him because of his bloodline to claim the Ered Luin under the Longbeards with the Broadbeams being a shattered people. This also is not long after he loss Balin, so might of helped in the decision to leave Erebor to best serve the Longbeards.

[Láthspell]

I'd be worried about metagame if Bilbo were a Patron. Every player ever knows exactly what's on his mantlepiece, and there's TN 20 (or higher!) corruption checks involved in trying to avoid taking it.

Despite Bilbo's assertion that the Ring would be a "nice souvenir to show the neighbors back home" and be one display on his mantelpiece, I was under the impression the realty after his return to the Shire was much different. Namely, that he kept the Ring on his person and used to escape from trouble or bothersome relatives (which I suppose to his mind might very well be considered the same thing). Though the Conspiracy (i.e. Sam, Merry, Pippin, and Fatty Bolger) learned of the Ring it certainly wasn't by Bilbo's design. Merry chanced upon Bilbo disappearing into thin air as the Sacksville-Bagginses were approaching, and Sam helped fill in the gaps with all his "dropping of eaves" and what not.

If the players insist on robbing Bilbo, keep in mind that he can always simply "disappear" and then the company will have to deal with shirrifs, bounders, Farmer Maggot's dogs, possibly even rangers, and a disgruntled old man in a grey robe and a pointy, blue hat.

The point is that if your players are really insistent on altering the canon events, you are probably better off running an original campaign... or hope that you have a player or two that can talk sense into the rest.

[Otaku-sempai]

More on Patrons

To expand on PST's post...

The Grey Havens: I would be fine with including Cirdan the Shipwright and I might add Galdor, who represented the Havens at the Council of Elrond.

The Dwarves of the Blue Mountains: We just don't know enough about the Blue Mountain Dwarves aside from the refugees from Erebor.

The Shire: Wil Whitmore was Mayor of Michel Delving beginning in TA 3013 or earlier. The Mayor also held the office of First Shirrif. I would be all right with including the Thain. It might be better to keep Bilbo out of this.

Bree-land: Did Bree (or Bree-land) have a Mayor and/or First Shirrif (alternate titles: Watch-commander; Commander of the Watch)?

Rangers of the North: Do we know who led the Dunedain during the fostering of Aragorn through the period of his journeys and errentries?

Rivendell: I would second Gildor Inglorion as a possible Patron in Imladris. I would remove Saruman from the list; he does not reside in Eriador.

[PST]

Rivendell: I would second Gildor Inglorion as a possible Patron in Imladris. I would remove Saruman from the list; he does not reside in Eriador.

Saruman was just on the list as a possible one for my campaign as it's possible the players will visit him for some lore at some point. Likewise with Gandalf, who doesn't really reside anywhere.