The Hall of Fire Webzine

[tomcat]

Hello everyone!

In 2003, I met GandalfofBorg on the Decipher web boards - the company who designed the CODA system based Lord of the Rings Roleplaying Game.

Together, we started a monthly webzine that focused on game play for that system - whether it was rules clarifications, fan creations, Middle-earth details, or whatever. The zine was a great success and carried on into its 80th plus issue - over 7 years! Matt and I had stepped down from the webzine prior to it running its course, turning it over to some new caretakers who kept it going until the system lost most interest. Still, it was a thrill to see it keep going as long as it did.

Thus I come to the point of this post.

I am thinking about re-initiating the Hall of Fire webzine for the The One Ring game system. I am probing for interest from you all to see if it is worth the investment in time. Once more, the webzine would be a player contribution zine that is specifically for The One Ring mechanics. Anyone will be able to submit their own article, creation, adventures, etc.

Where the former Hall of Fire was a monthly release, I think that I will limit the new zine to a quarterly release. It will be less taxing on the staff and will allow for more contributions to be gathered.

Now as for staff...is anyone interested in helping with this project? We will be putting the same amount of care and professionalism into the new webzine PDF product that was in the original.

Some might say, why create a new (or at least re-initiate a former) webzine? There are already zines out there that focus on Middle-earth (i.e. Other Hands). Yes, the Other Hands has always been an option for Middle-earth writing and creation, but it does not necessarily focus on The One Ring game system. So, why not a new, or former, webzine?

Here is an outline and description of The Hall of Fire's content:

Postmaster
Reader opinions, observations, and questions about the webzine

It's All Optional
House rules that have been created by players to help streamline problematic mechanics, or to open new options in the game

Adventuring In
The many different realms within Middle-Earth and their chronicle potential

Fan Flavour
Fan made cultures, callings, backgrounds, traits, spells, weapons, etc.

Allies and Adversaries
Featured NPC descriptions for our favorite characters that haven't been seen in any products or new NPC's
created by fans

Featured Creatures
Fan created fell beasts and other creatures that have not been seen in any product

The Road Goes Ever On
Mini or side adventures submitted by fans and writers

Trusted Locales
Locations throughout Middle-earth where the companions might take refuge and spend a Fellowship phase

Calling All Gamers!
A section dedicated to advertising for game openings (local and online), RPG events, and more!

Treasure Trove
Short details and reviews of product releases along with what has been released thus far

What's Out There?
Links to major RPG websites for The One Ring

Anyway...post here if you would find such content of worth. I will judge whether to initiate the zine based on how much response I receive. Also post here if you are interested in becoming a regular contributor to the webzine. I will be doing the layout, as I had done back in the previous iteration of the zine, but can always use help of artists and individuals who are good with design.

The product will have no monetary value and the time invested will be on a voluntary basis. There is a payoff, though. It is seeing and hearing all of the appreciation from readers and contributors who keep the game and the zine alive.

Here is a link to the possible first issue of the Hall of Fire...

https://rpg.avioc.org/webimages/lotr/to ... 2-1709.pdf

[Winterwolf]

Sounds like a great idea, tomcat, to have even some of the great ideas from this forum distilled into an webzine.
I think that the Other Minds is a wonderful magazine but another dedicated to TOR can only be good for the game.
I wouldn't have much to contribute to the content but would do what I can.
Bravo! Huzzah!

[tomcat]

Great!

I like getting a positive first response.

Yea - the forums here will be an obvious first choice to cherry pick fan-made content, with the original author's permission, of course.

We'll see where this goes.

[Otaku-sempai]

Would it be too much to split the focus between The One Ring and Adventures in Middle-earth?

[tomcat]

Although I am familiar with DnD5e, I have not given any attention to AiMe and so I am not up to speed on its mechanics.

That said, I have no problem including content from contributors for either game system, as long as the contributor supplies suitable content to make the article correct. But for all intents and purposes, the webzine will have a TOR focus.

[Indur Dawndeath]

Great initiative!
I was a huge fan of the Magazine when I played Decipher CODA.

[poosticks7]

Sounds like a good idea to me.

I might even contribute. I've done a fair bit of stuff for TOR on these forums (and the old ones). I'm not the most organised though .

[kaziglubey]

I'd be really interested to see this new incarnation come into being as well! I was a big fan of the original Hall of Fire.

On a related note, you mention 80+ issues of the original, but I only have up through issue 59 myself. Do you (or anyone else for that matter) know, are all the issues archived somewhere that would allow me to get my hands on the rest of the run? I've tried tracking them down off and on over the last few years but to no avail....

[tomcat]

It is funny that AiMe was mentioned above. I was thinking about buying those books (at least as PDF's), basically because I have been waiting on TOR books to come out and I have a sickness that requires me to buy game books! But then better judgment took hold and I did not buy the AiMe run off of Amazon.

Still, the books are really nice and I may breakdown yet.

Anyway, back to the topic... I am receiving great, positive response about the webzine starting back up, so I will be setting a release date for the September issue shortly.

I need proofreaders for submissions - people that can take stuff and clean it up on a document, so that I can easily lay it all out in the webzine. So, if there are any interested in becoming staff members, let me know. Full credit will be given to submitters and everyone that works personally on the zine.

I would also love some ideas for storage. I am thinking to do release announcements here, but store the files in Dropbox, Box, Onedrive, or something. The only problem will be daily bandwidth issues. But it shouldn't be a big deal.

I will be creating and posting a submissions email address shortly.

As for the old Hall of Fire magazines - I have issues 1 through 53, although I know it went higher from this posting on the old Cubicle 7 boards:

http://stuartrjohnson.co.uk/tor/archive ... losing.htm

You can also see issue 73 on something called Yumpu.

[Eluadin]

Fantastic idea, and just the thing to take in by the fire with tea and a biscuit.

Not familiar with the original run for the CODA System. Like your content structure, and can see why it was hugely popular. (I still hear references to it in conversations and threads!)

With the prior run of HoF, what kind of time investment did you see normally from your proof readers? Love to help, and happy to proofread. That assumes I can balance with other commitments of course.

Very truly yours,
Scott
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"Choices are limited by external circumstances, and also by the nature of the choosers. The first limitation always seems to make the choices harder and more dangerous; the second limitation brings out character and moral and intellectual stature in the face of that danger and hardship."

~ Michael Stanton: Hobbits, Elves, and Wizards