Recommendations for a First Adventure

[Burgonet]

Hello all!

It's been a long time coming but my semi-regular gaming group is meeting in roughly two weeks to try a one-session shot at playing The One Ring.
On the whole they're relative gaming neophytes but most have more than a passing knowledge of Tolkien from either books or films.
Likewise they've cut their teeth on the 5e boxed-set, which they have mostly completed.

Now I'd planned to run a one-shot adventure for the group with pre-generated characters.
I have the original edition rules, the screen/Laketown sourcebook, Tales from Wilderland, the Heart of the Wild and the Darkening of Mirkwood for adventures. I had planned to not use DoM as if the group decides to play this game again I was planning an entire campaign of this.

Having read through the material I have, I suspect "Of Leaves and Stewed Hobbit" might be the adventure I end up running.
But I'm open to suggestions.

So, in your own opinion, do you think this would be a good first adventure for the group?
"The Marsh Bell" didn't read as if it'd be a good introduction and I thought a first adventure involving Hobbits and Goblins would be much more likely to meet expectations.

But are there other adventures I should be considering?
An adventure written by a fellow player perhaps, one that might be available to read or download/purchase online?

Likewise for characters are there alternatives to save myself the trouble of creating characters for this adventure myself?
What approach would you recommend taking in running this game for newcomers for a first time?

Thanks for reading, I look forward in time in hearing your opinions in time.

[Rich H]

Zedturtle's done an excellent starting adventure. Link to the thread and (current) last page here: viewtopic.php?f=7&t=2325&start=150

[Falenthal]

I runned "Of Leaves and Stewed Hobbit" a few weeks ago in a convention, as a one-shot to introduce the game. It went perfectly, as you have a bit of everything and the rescue situation with the goblin banquet is brilliant. This scene makes a difference with other games, where goblins+dungeon+rescue means slaughter and blood.

Take a look at zedturtle's adventure, but "Of Leaves..." is IMHO also a sure shot.

In fact, two of the six players bought the Revised Core the next week. And a third one is planning to do the same...

[Rich H]

I runned "Of Leaves and Stewed Hobbit" a few weeks ago in a convention, as a one-shot to introduce the game. It went perfectly, as you have a bit of everything and the rescue situation with the goblin banquet is brilliant. This scene makes a difference with other games, where goblins+dungeon+rescue means slaughter and blood.

After reading "Tales..." when it first came out and do remember posting and stating that "Of Leaves..." was the adventure in the anthology closest in feel to The Hobbit. I love it for that so it doesn't surprise me that you've had such success with it.

[zedturtle]

Thanks all for the kind words about The Theft of the Moon. Burgonet, here is a companion thread with sample characters.

There is a also the excellent "blood in the water" adventure, which lots of people have used as an introductory adventure. If you are planning to go into Darkening after that, though you probably do want to use either Of Leaves or Theft of the Moon since those will take place west of Mirkwood.

[Jussi Marttila]

I used Don't Leave The Path from Tales From Wilderland as my group's first adventure, but I'd say that Of Leaves And Stewed Hobbit would work as well. Both are extremely Hobbitish to their nature, and I'd say that the main differences is that DLTP is more about travel and OFASH is more about establishing the dynamics of battle in this game: characters are often outnumbered and need to be clever to succeed.

[Majestic]

I personally don't think "The Marsh-Bell" or "Words of the Wise" (for those who have it) are bad choices, but "Don't Leave the Path" (also from "Tales"), "Of Leaves & Stewed Hobbit", and "Theft of the Moon" all are great choices as well. Even if you choose not to use "Theft", the PCs provided for it should save you a ton of work!

[Burgonet]

Thanks for the feedback and idea everyone.
It looks like a choice between what I'd planned and a very nicely presented adventure from a forum regular.
I'll probably end up running both eventually, just a question of which to run next weekend.

Is there a site or link where somehow has already created pre-generated characters at all?
I'm not adverse to creating my own however it'd be good to have something ready-to-go.

[Rich H]

It looks like a choice between what I'd planned and a very nicely presented adventure from a forum regular.
I'll probably end up running both eventually, just a question of which to run next weekend.

Personally I'd go with zed's as it's far more detailed than The Marsh Bell and particularly suited and setup to introduce many elements of the game.

Also, if you didn't use The Marsh Bell then I'd tout my own adventure (not a starting one) to use instead of that, To Journey's End and the Eagles' Eyrie: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/795 ... 0Eyrie.pdf . Although it may need a bit of alteration for the Revised Rules and specific gaming group requirements, it's an epic journey across Wilderland which involves the characters directly with inviting the Eagles to the festivities in Dale later in the year.

Is there a site or link where somehow has already created pre-generated characters at all?
I'm not adverse to creating my own however it'd be good to have something ready-to-go.

You could use the pre-gens from the rulebook for "Of Leaves..." and zed has made some pregens for his game, link: viewtopic.php?f=7&t=3222. You may have to sift through the posts to find the actual pre gen stats etc. I'm sure zed will look in here again though and post a more direct link!

[zedturtle]

Yeah, tell you what, we will go straight to the PDF file: Sample Characters. That gives you eight pregens. Let me know what you think, even if you don't use them.