The world of Middle-Earth:
The Setting consists of an amalgamation of following game settings/styles/rules:
The world simulator:
1. Kingmaker/kingdombuilding/ultimate campaign
2. Cityscape
3. Oceanscape
4. Sandbox elements
5. Written modules
6. West march style
7. Downtime rules
8. Horror, and occult adventures
9. Corruption, cosmic horror and sanity/insanity
- «Sandbox, west march style and modules»: Sandbox/west march is usually a style without a solid plot where it all just plays out. The Middle-earth setting is run similar to a sandbox world but also involve many active plots and intertwining modules spread throughout the Western and Eastern Kingdoms. There are plots/module-like story archs in all regions with NPC´s (kings, crimelords or any driven individual) going about their own businesses and pursuing their dreams and desires, like any other individual does. Many things play out around the players, but does not indicate that they have to participate in everything going on. The world is alive to watch or tinker with. The clock ticks no matter what the party does or ignores, yelding consequences. But then again mortals cannot be expected to be everywhere all at once. Choose your path with care.
- Kingdombuilding, cityscape, oceanscape, dungeon crawling, adventuring: View all these settings merged as one, creating a world simulator where time never stops moving on; trade, politics, events, disasters, technology, evolution.
Countries, political directions and borders are in constant change depending on who influences what. Players can help or hinder such change.
- Horror, Occult, Corruption, Sanity: Fractures, cuts and abrasions wounds the body, but madness undermines the mind, spirit and personality. An abundance of horrors can scar a being. Wounds and fatigue can ravage the flesh. Poisons and venoms can putrefy a creature from within. Curses and hexes can assault the body and soul through supernatural means. But of all the horrors a hero can might face, few are as debilitating or insidious as those that assault their sanity.
- Experiences can enrich a persons life, state of being, or break them down over time. Evil deeds or torment done to others consciously or unconsciously slowly can turn a person insane or into a monster, as they delve into a downwards spiral to the brink and beyond.
“The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown”
― H.P. Lovecraft, Supernatural Horror in Literature
“If I am mad, it is mercy! May the gods pity the man who in his callousness can remain sane to the hideous end!”
― H.P. Lovecraft, The Temple
“There are horrors beyond life's edge that we do not suspect, and once in a while man's evil prying calls them just within our range.”
― H.P. Lovecraft, The Thing on the Doorstep
“In search of Truth the hopeful zealot goes,
But all the sadder tums, the more he knows!”
― H.P. Lovecraft
The intension for what the players should be able to do:
- Use skills to pave your way towards success.
- Develope personal resources throught the game (legacy weapons, mythic powers, spell-like abilities, politic power, renown and influence)
- Establish your own businesses.
- Invest in stocks or a trading companies etc.
- Buy land, property and/or build.
- Wage war
- Obtain servants, subordinates, minions or a crew, manage your own organisation of people.
- Become/being a member of the nobility or the underworld.
- Travel to the stars, cross the oceans, or venture to the deepest caves beneath the surfaceworld.
- Discover secrets and hidden lore.
- Or just do something completedly different.
Extra books used in the Middle-Earth Campaign Setting: Horror Adventures, Occult Adventrures, Ultimate Camapign, Ultimate Equipment.
RAW:
Anything in the players handbook is a reference, and will be subject to be applicable or restricted in conjuction with Middle-Earth lore.
- Examples can be that specific races have a different past and function, like gnomes, geenies and efreeti, demons/devils. Some spells have been deemed illegal by the authorities due to obvious reasons such as abuse to other people.
- Spells may work differently depending on environmental factors (environment, the cosmos, presences, mana zones, magic schools etc.).
-Example: No same healing spell can be used on an individual several times in one day. Every use after the first requires a concentration check with a cumulative DC to be able to recast it. Failure risks damage to the caster or item.
In-game mechanics:
-Gear Hit Points must be tracked and repaired in the cities by a blacksmith. The better the gear the better smith you need, but not as frequent with high quality gear. Masterwork items needs the skill of a castlesmith to fix.
-Masterwork items are called Castleforged items. Such smiths are often employed by the nobility to arm their guards, suit up the military and knightly orders, or the watch.
Fre Mar 23, 2018 2:16 am