Welcome​ Matt #2, this is Matt #1.  You are correct, collecting RPGs is a problem but we don't judge here (don't mind me as I stuff the books back under my bed).  We are all wallowing in our obsession and loving every minute of it.  You'll find PbP slower but more liberating as you don't have the pressure of immediate responses at the table with everyone staring at you.  It is a much richer experience because you have time to be creative with you characters by expressing inner thoughts as well as the character everyone else sees.  Our posting is fairly regular with exceptions of holidays and other life events.  Doug and I in particular have know each other over 10yrs when Decipher had their CODA version of LotR RPG and have played plenty of games (lot, ST, SW) over the yes.

As for getting into this game, you can go back and look at our synopses or not. Being I assume you'll have a new character, it may not appeal to you metagaming-wise.  Regardless, welcome to the group!

Hey Matt #2,

Yea, if you read the Tales of Years it will give you a synopsis of our story to date. The only thing not yet recorded is the current chapter, which tells of the visit to the Elven Realm and the search for Ruithel.

Also, I sent you an invitation to Hangouts IM. I need to go over with you the character profiler and the web-based PC sheets that we use. So, just IM me back when you are ready.

Thanks, gents.  I'll take a skim through the Tales of Years, but could I first please get a breakdown of who the current characters are in the party?

Also, I haven't seen a Hangouts invite.  I've already registered for the profiler through the link you emailed me...

Hi Matt, welcome aboard!  I'm sure I speak for all of us when I say it'll be nice to have some new blood in the group.

As for character introductions, I'm playing Arbogast, son of Arbodag - known as the Fire-watcher.  He's a Woodman, originally from near Woodmen-town but now residing at Black Tarn Hall with his wife Lindwine and daughters Lafwyne and Cyffa. 

He's a quietish, introspective guy, though given to the occasional dramatic speech.  He's the company's main scout when travelling - they spend a fair amount of time slogging through Mirkwood, and he knows his way around there better than most.

Matt,
 Welcome to the group your background in gaming is pretty close to mine. I too tried a middle school attempt at MERP and it was too crunchy. Glad to have you, this is a seasoned but unpretentious group.   

My advice is poke around on the different threads to get a feel for the game and players before you decide on a character and background. This isnt so you 'conform' to group think, but so you'll get an idea of play style and how we are using the system.

Any questions just ask. Oh, and the internal dice roller hates players unless you really put some heart into your post that needs a roll. If I have learned nothing since I started playing with Doug is that it has reenforced my belief that the dice have a story of thier own to tell.

I am playing Grimbeorn, son if Beorn... Yes that Beorn.  It's been a rough go of it for him coming to terms with his heritage, his responsibility to his people and men east of the mountains.  He lives up to his name grim and has been best by numerous and grievous injuries in his time even at a young age.  He's also quite eligible bachelor and that part of his life is in more shambles than any other.

Thanks, everyone glad to meet you. So that's 3 players, plus Esgalwen as a GMPC / LMPC (I see her in tomcat's signature, plus she features at the top of the Tales of Years)?

Looks like I've got a lot of reading on my hands (this forum plus the rulebook)! I'm also debating picking up the Adventurer's Companion on PDF since it appears to collect all the various Cultures in one place. Is that right?

That's right.  It arguably doesn't have much else to recommend it, though, so I'd be loath to pay the asking price just for that.  PM me on G+ and I'll send you a link to my copy.

Quote from: Eclecticon on May 24, 2017, 01:28 AMThat's right.  It arguably doesn't have much else to recommend it, though, so I'd be loath to pay the asking price just for that.  PM me on G+ and I'll send you a link to my copy.

That would be very cool, I'm actually interested in playing a Wild Anduin Hobbit or a Rohirrim, which I believe that book has details for.  Just PMed you...

Anyway, I'd love to play a slightly more light-hearted character, and I'm currently looking at these:

• a treasure-hunting Lake-Man, Energetic and Merry, with the Lordling (B4,H7,W3) background,
• a wandering Barding, Adventurous and True-Hearted, with the Patient Hunter (B5,H5,W4) background,
• a treasure-hunting Wild Anduin Hobbit,
• a wandering Rohirrim, more of a hunter than a warrior,

What are your thoughts?  I'm probably more excited about the prospect of playing a Wild Hobbit or Rohirrim, because they feel a bit more Tolkien than the Lake Men and Bardings.

Hmmm, having just read this review of the Adventurer's Companion, the description of the Wild Anduin Hobbit culture really jumps out at me:

QuoteSimilarly, the Wild Hobbits of the Anduin Vales share a lot in common with their sedentary cousins in the Shire but they are a wild folk who have fought the Shadow in Mirkwood for centuries. They're sort of a mix between Hobbits of the Shire and Woodmen of Wilderland with some anti-Shadow powers from the High Elves of Rivendell thrown in. Plus, they live in secret holes and caves and many living directly near them don't even realize they exist! A fun option.

If you're all cool with it, I think I'll create an adventurous wild hobbit, probably distantly related to Smeagol (since, let's face it, they're all related - ifyouknowwhatimean), roused from hiding by all the activity happening in the area and eager to explore the wider world around him.  I'll flesh him out a bit more once I get the go-ahead.  Also, I see from the Heart of the Wild that these Wild Hobbits are situated quite close to Rhosgobel, so it should be pretty easy to think of a hook for me to join the group through Radagast (who I can see is your patron)?

Sounds good to me!

I look forward to the backstory and to seeing your sheet. If you are familiar with my profiler, then you know how to make your character public and I can invite him/her to the campaign. If not, let me know and I can talk you through it.

Yay another Hobbit to upstage the great Beorning in the midst of battle   

Quote from: tomcat on May 24, 2017, 04:10 AMSounds good to me!

I look forward to the backstory and to seeing your sheet. If you are familiar with my profiler, then you know how to make your character public and I can invite him/her to the campaign. If not, let me know and I can talk you through it.

I've gone ahead and picked up the Adventurer's Companion, and have also been reading many of the forum posts on the C7 forums about the Wild Hobbits.  One thing that has been mentioned is that the chosen weapon skills seem a bit odd, and I tend to agree.  In the Companion, Wild Hobbits use Bows and Swords, but this is a reclusive Culture with Frugal living standards, and I can't see swords and bows being readily available to them.

However, the Core Book also doesn't help with it's low number of weapons, so I had a look on the interwebs for some homebrewed stuff, and came across this document.  Perfect!  It has both a Short Spear and Sling in it.  I really like the thought of a Short Spear (hobbits wouldn't use a full-sized one) instead of a Sword, and a Sling instead of a Bow for this Culture.  In fact, the new Wild Hobbit Cultural Reward in the Companion is even a Fishing Spear!

So would you be willing to allow me to change this Culture's weapon skill section to read as follows, using the stats from that homebrew doc?   I'd be more than happy to change any of the stats if they're OP (certainly the Long Ranges on the Short Spear and Sling are too high, for instance).

• Short Spear 2, Sling 1, Dagger 1
• Sling 2, Short Spear 1, Dagger 1

Gotta run for a few hours, possibly the rest of the day.  Here's what I've got so far.  My character is called Udo.

http://rpg.avioc.org/profiles/view.php?id=1231

Quote from: BristolMatt on May 24, 2017, 05:57 AMSo would you be willing to allow me to change this Culture's weapon skill section to read as follows, using the stats from that homebrew doc?   I'd be more than happy to change any of the stats if they're OP (certainly the Long Ranges on the Short Spear and Sling are too high, for instance).

• Short Spear 2, Sling 1, Dagger 1
• Sling 2, Short Spear 1, Dagger 1

Looks great to me. I am not seeing anything OP about any of it. I don't deal in exacts when it comes to range, anyway, when I set up a combat round. Basically, I just tell me how many Opening shots you guys could achieve before melee commences.

If anyone else sees something OP, make a suggestion, but otherwise let's roll with it. I sent BristolMatt some character intro ideas, so let me see what he thinks and we'll bring him into the game, very soon.