Topic: 1st age Middle-Earth module?

[DangerMan]

Did someone ever publish a 1st age Middle Earth campaign module? MERP perhaps? Anyone? That would be pretty cool, nay?

I havent been around for a while. Hope we are still allowed to write MERP. MERP! MERP! MERP!

[yammahoper]

Short answer, no.

1st age info is available, and source books such as Lords of Middle Earth (Vol 1 in particular).

The module closest to being 1st age is Court of Ardor, with a group of 1st age thralls establishing kingdoms in Southern Endor while plotting to destroy the sun and moon, resulting in the return of the Lord of Ire.

MERP itself is very dead.  No incarnation of ICE may print, publish or produce MERP material.

[Hurin]

Do any other modules detail First Age campaigns? I remember some modules used to give guidelines for setting campaigns in different ages (did Moria do this?), as you note. The problem of course with the first age stuff is that most of the land where the great elven kingdoms arose went underwater. But I think I do remember some modules offering possibilities for campaigns set in the Second Age.

[VladD]

I know there is such a thing at:

http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/fan-modules/conversations/messages

but you need to sign in.

Also we have a repository at:

http://fanmodules.free.fr/

I did a solid 20 lvls  campaign in the First Age. It was plenty fun, and since I wanted something with epic scope, I allowed giant and faerie PCs and the enemies were on that scale as well, with Maiar making calls and Morgoth as the main enemy. But I didn't make it in a module, as I did not see the need. There's a TON of detail that needs to be fleshed out between what we know from Tolkien's works and I think that is part of the fun.

[Hurin]

I just sent a request to join your group; that material looks awesome! And I was contemplating doing a RM campaign in Middle Earth, so that would be great!

[VladD]

I'm surprised you didn't find it earlier. It is suitably Hurin-themed and in existence from almost the onset of MERP modules. Some respectable Tolkien experts come there: Hawke and Morwinsky from the Other Minds magazine. It is not too lively at the moment, but the stuff they produced in the past 20-30 years is pretty awesome.

I found out about the ICE forums because of this group.

If you've got anything to add to the files: don't be shy and share what you have and I am certain the others will love it too. Questions will usually get answered and the collective knowledge is extensive. Search the forums as well, for answers that are maybe there already.

[Hurin]

Tons of great stuff on there... thanks very much Vlad!

[DangerMan]

Thanks Vlad! My GM got quite excited over this! 

[reywind]

such a coincidence .... we have a small group that has been playing MERP, on and off, since it's onset way back in 1985. We have a ship that set sail from Pelagir and is making for Ardor. We made a port call at Umbar for supplies this weekend and are setting out for the next leg of our journey on our next session ... something to do with the Sand Caves of the Far Harad ... sounds like drake territory to me.

We do not mess with the Tolkien timeline, we only game in the 4th age after the destruction of the ring and fall of Sauron, but there are still many dangerous places and things still roaming Middle Earth.