"Lord of the Rings Campaign ideas?" Topic

I'm currently working my way through the scenarios in the Fellowship Journey Book as a campaign. Ultimately, however it seems a little bit hollow. In effect you just play them through and track the characters' stats as you go, keeping them between encounters.

What I am interested in is a campaign system which allows for some random encounters while still allowing for the 'set piece' conflicts in the book.

I guess this could be as simple as adding in a couple of random encounters between the scenarios, but this might just make things too hard for the heroes.I am curious if there are systems out there which might be good for this type of campaign. Or of anyone runs something like this at the moment.

Basically just putting this out there to see what ideas others might have in case they are more interesting than anything I could come up with!

Way back in White Dwarf 283, there was "A Fantasy Fellowship" article with rules for creating a fantasy Fellowship and playing a campaign with it. Contains a roster sheet, campaign scenario tree and tactical tips.

I think it was updated later, in issue 289. Of course, those rules were based on the original scenarios before the current revisions.

If you don't have access, I can see I have them.

Ed

Ed

That sounds very interesting. Unfortunately I don't have access to them. If you are in a position to advise me on this my email is chriswalkley at hotmail dot com.

Thanks
Chris

The articles basically had you pick a custom Fellowship with Frodo, Bilbo or Isildur as the Ringbearer. The scenarios from the FotR Journey Book (the one you have) an the TT Journey Book were linked in a linear "decision tree" in issue #283. Issue #289 updated for the RotK scenarios.

Each Ringbearer has a companion Sam, Gandalf and Elrond respectively. Each scenario typically feature the Rinbearer, companion and some of the other 7 members of the Fellowship. The Fellowship can be composed of figures of your choice.

The campaign had minimal choice for the Fellowship. You could not bypass Weathertop by taking an alternate path. No random encounters. Isildur uses a variant tree and order for the scenarios to Frodo an Bilbo.

You could easily make your own flow chart complete with random encounters and alternate plot twists.

Ideas include…

Rather than Aragorn, Gandalf sends Beorn, Radgast or Legolas to Bree.

Rather than brave Moria, the Fellowship continues pushing through the mountains and make it to the other side. Wargs and Uruk-hai await them in the snow.

I say do it OLD school and go back to the Silmarillion!

link

That's useful. I can see myself restarting and working all the sourcebooks into one big campaign tree! Maybe use the map from Fantasy Flight's War of the Ring game as a basis.

If you want epic Middle Earth games, the First Age is it -- by the time of the 3rd Age, the power Sauron exercises is a faint shadow compared to Morgoth with his fell magic, vast hordes of orcs, and armies that included scores of Balrogs, Dragons, demonic spiders (like Ungoliant), packs of Werewolves and other sundry critters! Plus you have some other races on the good guy side like the Huanor, the intelligent mastiffs, that you don't have in the 3rd Age.

My basic approach to a narrative campaign is to set out what effects the results of the scenario will have on the next scenario. Will there be some reduction/gaining of strength, will certain events take place that wouldn't have before, will the following scenario to be played be determined based on the results of this one…?
As the scenarios progress the storyline shapes itself.

SB: Look, I have too many LotR figures as it is! Scores of Balrogs? I have one… and it is a card standup… ;)

Caesar: That is an entirely sensible way to approach a campaign, but I'd like to have a lot of the structure worked out in advance because I am far too OCD for my own good. :(

Yep…scores of Balrogs…dragons..hordes of orcs…in the Battle of Sudden Flame (went for several years), Morgoth broke guarding forces with a massive series of volcanic eruptions that shot lava and fire across the plains of Ard-Galen, killing many men and elves and driving them away as his forces advanced. The ensuing onslaught saw the allied forces routed and 10,000 elves marched in chains to the pits of Morgoth's fortress. Big battles!! It would be perfect for a revival of Warmaster.

link

But I did do a campaign based around Beren and Luthien's raid into Angbad to steal a Silmaril from Morgoth's crown. A series of skrimishes and adventures to deliver them to the fortress, etc. Lots of fun.

Chris,

Sorry, didn't get to the LOTR archive last night. Will check tonight.

Ed

Ed: No worries. Appreciate the help.

Chris

The 3rd Age has a definite Dark Ages feel and scope, with many races and cultures at their ropes end, living in the shadow of their own fallen, lost achievements. The 1st Age is more of a High Middle Ages feel, the world is young, the races are young and numerous, their cultures and achievements more sophisticated. The First Age, I guess, you could call the Age of the Elves (they drive the high culture and "global" policy, though Dwarves are also numerous). The 2nd Age is basically an Age of Transition as Man rises, and the Elves wane. While the 3rd Age has become the Age of Man as the other races of ME slip into obscurity. Interesting contrast.

From a campaign point -- it could even be possible to do a Rise and Fall of the Elves theme. A series of linked campaigns where, as an Elven player, you have diminishing reinforcements as you transition from the 1st Age to the 2nd, and by the 3rd Age you do not get reinforcements for your campaign forces. Can you husband your resources, win your objectives and survive from the Fall of Morgoth through the last Fall of Sauron??