How Many Fellowship Undertakings

[HorusZA]

I think I may have misunderstood something obvious, but I'd like to confirm:

Can you only perform a Fellowship Undertaking after completing an adventure or once per season (twice in winter)?

For example:
SPRING: Awesome Adventure
SUMMER: Adventure Phase... spend XP/AP's perform Undertaking
AUTUMN: Perform an Undertaking
WINTER: Perform 2 Undertakings

I'm thinking (by strict reading of rules) the answer is "Yes, one fellowship phase per adventure and therefore only 1 undertaking".

If so, how does the Winter = 2 Fellowship Undertakings work?
Say the Adventure takes place in Summer with the next adventure in the Autumn of the following year. How many undertakings would the group be able to perform.

It would seem odd that a character can heal more corruption (for example) in a year by going on 4 adventures (hence 5 Undertakings) instead of staying home, taking it easy, hanging out with friends and family.

[Falenthal]

There are many ways to play the Adventure and Fellowship Phases, but I would advise against allowing more than 2 Fellowship Undertakings per year.

The recommended adventure ratio is 1 or 2 a year.
If your group only does one adventure, consider that they spend the winter (Year's End) at home. During the rest of the year and during winter, they may choose one Undertaking (for a total of two).
If your group does two adventures, they can do one Undertaking after each adventure.

Even if you play more than two adventures, I'd restrict the Undertakings only to two during the natural year. After all, Undertakings take some time, not just one day. They need maybe a month or so to be acomplished as something meaningful.

Of course, some variations are always welcomed as the LM sees fit: For example, after a great adventure where they help Beorn, you could gift your players with the opening Beorn's House as a Sanctuary for free, in addition to an Undertaking of their choosing. I sometimes (scarcely, but sometimes) do that with Undertakings that allow for roleplaying options, but not mechanical tangible benefits.

Also, remember that one of the interesting things about Undertakings is that players narrate what they do and how. Not just "I heal 4 points of corruption", but explain how the hero composes a song about the last adventure, that helps remember the heroic defense of a town, and results in an inspiration for young children.

[Stormcrow]

Don't think in terms of undertakings, sessions, or seasons, think in terms of phases. The game is always in one of two phases: Adventuring and Fellowship. In the Adventuring phase, the Loremaster has the main storytelling initiative and the players react to the obstacles he sets before them. In the Fellowship phase the players have the storytelling initiative and dictate what their heroes do when not on adventures. During each Fellowship phase each hero has the opportunity to perform a single undertaking. (In the revised rules, heroes are allowed to perform two undertakings during the Year's End Fellowship phase.)

Although it is theoretically possible to have a Fellowship phase, an Adventuring phase, and another Fellowship phase during a single session of play, Adventuring phases usually take multiple game sessions to play out. On the other hand, there's no reason why you can't go on a very short or simple adventure once in a while.

See my game session sequence.

[Amargen]

I agree; one of the problems following the 1-2/year is the character development slows down to the point where if you go through Darkening of Mirkwood some of the characters are retire-able by the time they reach the end.

I've found it best to wing it as far as the timing and let the players dictate their actions while I determine the amount of time things take. it allows the characters to develop faster, and they appreciate the busy-ness of the process. since I also like to keep people busy with small side-quests and personal details it works well.

[Angelalex242]

Well...the more undertakings you have, the more you can improve those 'spend xp to improve' abilities. Woodmen love lots of fellowship phases to max out their doggies. Maxed out Hounds are quite impressive, after all. No other race has as many spend XP to improve abilities as woodmen do. Indeed, most other races only have one of those, and it's usually their spellcasting.

[Rich H]

... one of the problems following the 1-2/year is the character development slows down to the point where if you go through Darkening of Mirkwood some of the characters are retire-able by the time they reach the end.

That's quite deliberate in the design of the game and that campaign so it isn't a 'problem' as such. Characters are likely to be retiring during it (due to their age and other factors) and certainly once the campaign is concluded. If anything many people have expressed concern that character progression is too fast using the 2 adventures per year model, never mind increasing the number even further.

[Amargen]

well, in the two longer campaigns I've run, the players weren't happy with the progression so we altered it to fit. didn't really affect the DoM campaign per se as I simply adjusted the odds to keep up with the faster growth.

the other campaign was a First Age mod so the characters started out fairly powerful, as you might expect.