Did any of you ever play a Silmarillion game?

Trond · May 19, 2016, 08:08:44 PM

The Tolkien/TOR discussion reminded me that I started a Silmarillion game years ago (using modified BRP), but we never finished. Some of the invited players were perhaps a bit too into the standard killing and looting for it to work (my regular players did well though, but I moved since).

Did any of you play in this older Middle-Earth? What was your focus area or period?

The Butcher · May 19, 2016, 09:37:02 PM

I did! We used D&D 3.0e right after it came out :eek:

We were... Noldor? Migrating to... somewhere? Because reasons?

Sorry, I cannot Tolkien today. Please don't make me Tolkien.

Trond · May 20, 2016, 12:52:09 AM

What can I say, you must!

Once Tolkiened always Tolkiened.

Coffee Zombie · May 20, 2016, 07:37:13 AM

There was a short lived attempt to do it in MERP, many moons ago, but we weren't set up to run the game more than a few sessions. My friend, at the time, was very interested in the Noldor and "Valar" elves, which was promising. He liked the concept of the elves who had the light in them, residing there like a hidden power, and wanted to explore it. I don't think we were quite ready for the attempt, and Tolkien scholarship has come a long way since the late 80s...

The Butcher · May 20, 2016, 08:23:42 AM

Quote from: Trond;898866What can I say, you must! Once Tolkiened always Tolkiened.

No, seriously, it was 16 years ago and only lasted a few sessions. I don't recall many details.

Trond · May 20, 2016, 03:19:13 PM

Quote from: Coffee Zombie;898922There was a short lived attempt to do it in MERP, many moons ago, but we weren't set up to run the game more than a few sessions. My friend, at the time, was very interested in the Noldor and "Valar" elves, which was promising. He liked the concept of the elves who had the light in them, residing there like a hidden power, and wanted to explore it. I don't think we were quite ready for the attempt, and Tolkien scholarship has come a long way since the late 80s...

Are you saying that the MERP authors were working on it, or just your local MERP group?

Anglachel · May 20, 2016, 03:53:04 PM

I always wanted to. It's my holy grail of gaming (well it's one of my holy grails nowadays, there are so many fascinating settings out there). BUT...i never had the right group (or GM) for it. Because, you see, if i ever gm a Silmarillion game (or play in one), i'd need my players (or my GM) to be as well read on the Silmarillion as i am. And i am, unfortunately, quite certain that will never happen.

There is also the question of a suitable rulesset to emulate the first age of ME.

Ulairi · May 20, 2016, 04:35:28 PM

We ran a second age LoTR CODA game back in the mid 2000's. I prefer the 4th Age myself.

Shemek hiTankolel · May 21, 2016, 12:11:01 AM

I did back in the 80's using MERP, and then going to Rolemaster. My group consisted of Noldor and Men from the House of Bëor. Quite fun while it lasted. I think most of our enjoyment came from reading the "Crit Hits" and "Missed" results. "You trip over an imaginary, unseen, deceased turtle and suffer an 'E' Critical" comes to mind:D I think my head would explode today if I tried to use the Rolemaster combat system.

Shemek.

One Horse Town · May 21, 2016, 04:29:49 PM

I think that the MERP supplements like Elves and the like would give you a head-start.

finarvyn · May 21, 2016, 07:48:13 PM

Quote from: Trond;899037Are you saying that the MERP authors were working on it, or just your local MERP group?

MERP had a "Lords of Middle-earth" series (three books, I think) that included stats and backgrounds for all sorts of NPCs. There were quite a few from the Silmarillion era, I believe. We tried a short game based on Feanor and all, but most of us didn't have enough knowledge of the Silmarillion at the time to make it work.

crkrueger · May 21, 2016, 11:47:58 PM

Isn't that what got them in trouble, statting out the Silmarillion in the Lords of Middle Earth series?

Awesome books though.

TristramEvans · May 22, 2016, 12:13:24 AM

Quote from: CRKrueger;899383Isn't that what got them in trouble, statting out the Silmarillion in the Lords of Middle Earth series?

Awesome books though.

I believe it was a series of "gamebooks" which at the time, though being arguably a form of RPG, were not covered under the lisence. I think The Tolkien Estate was just looking for an excuse though, because the original license gave them a lot of leeway and MERP ran with it, and Christopher Tolkien got his British panties in a bit of a wad with all the liberties they took. Hence the licences for the films and subsequent RPGs being much, much stricter, to the point I herd that the appendices of the LOTR wasn't even covered.

To answer the OP. Yes I did. And I used a hack of mother f-ing Wushu.

Trond · May 22, 2016, 01:10:04 AM

Quote from: finarvyn;899357MERP had a "Lords of Middle-earth" series (three books, I think) that included stats and backgrounds for all sorts of NPCs. There were quite a few from the Silmarillion era, I believe. We tried a short game based on Feanor and all, but most of us didn't have enough knowledge of the Silmarillion at the time to make it work.

Now that you mention it I remember that! I have one of those hidden somewhere, the one with Gandalf and the Balrog on the cover. Yup, I remember finding stats for Feanor and his sons in there etc. Now I am wondering where that book went. Probably in a box somewhere in my parents house

Did any of you ever play a Silmarillion game?

TristramEvans