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I am thinking about going with Foraging (Shooting) and Magic (Animal Form and Healing with Magic)

But if it makes sense to go with another combination to round out the group better, I am all ears. (old werewolf joke there)

We are shaping up nicely as a traditional fairy tale bunch, more brains and luck than brawn. Good match for the tone and themes that rory put forth!

OGRE MAGE wrote:I am thinking about going with Foraging (Shooting) and Magic (Animal Form and Healing with Magic)

But if it makes sense to go with another combination to round out the group better, I am all ears. (old werewolf joke there)

Those are some good choices. Actually the healing magic might be one of your character's draws. Minas Tirith (if we borrow from LotR) was known for its houses of healing. Potentially someone was wounded from the war and came for healing...or your character wants to spread the knowledge of that healing to the beornings, etc. Feel free to discard.

tibbius wrote:We are shaping up nicely as a traditional fairy tale bunch, more brains and luck than brawn. Good match for the tone and themes that rory put forth!

I like that very much! Not to say we won't see combat at all, but the charm of The Hobbit is getting through trouble using whatever resources at your disposal are. It looks like with the skin changer and Tarabim, you have a good deal of physical and emotional healing for dark times!

roryb wrote:

Mr Stereo1 wrote:If Erebor's reconquered (which I like, the unofficial sequel vibe appeals to me) then I think I'd like to run with the impoverished merchant idea. A Dwarf trader who gambles big on helping Erebor by bringing goods from the south to the rebuilding but very wealthy kingdom met with disaster along the way, losing everything but his very life. He hears of the expedition from a friend in Gondor and, knowing the roads they need to travel, he offers his services as guide and companion in the hopes of monetary reward and a few favors getting a new caravan together.

Good concept! Even the establishment of a safe trade route alone would be worth a considerable amount. This would be the fellow who wants to return home. I was hoping we would have a dwarf in the group! There’s a worthy guide.

Thanks! It would make sense for him to have some family in Erebor, but even if he wants to help his people his intentions aren't completely selfless...

roryb wrote:

OGRE MAGE wrote:I am thinking about something completely different for this one. The Human Skin Changer listed in the rules really piqued my interest in something "out of the ordinary".

If a Beorn type of character is going to be a problem in this game, I would be happy to rethink that. (no backstory yet)

Very good! One of the Beornings would be very unusual and fun to play. I can’t immediately come up with a good motivation for him, but I’m sure there’s a way. Perhaps he befriended the dwarf trader after the Battle and decided to accompany him south to Gondor? He’s filled with wanderlust? Curiosity of what men are up to? On the hunt for remaining goblins that scattered?

OGRE MAGE wrote:I am thinking about going with Foraging (Shooting) and Magic (Animal Form and Healing with Magic)

But if it makes sense to go with another combination to round out the group better, I am all ears. (old werewolf joke there)

No pressure either way, but I'm up for having a social link between the characters if you want to try developing that.

Rex wrote:I would think the Merchant should have Foraging, Guiding over Fighting. Currently at Bard, Merchant and Beorning. Once I see how OM puts together the Beorning I will have an idea to present.

For myself I think my Dwarf Merchant is going to go for Carousing (Haggling), Foraging (Guiding, Shooting). He's a travelling, but he's a trader not some Ranger, so I figure he's more like to have a crossbow or something to guard his goods than know how to track deer through the forest on a moonless night or something like that.

Mr Stereo1 wrote:Thanks! It would make sense for him to have some family in Erebor, but even if he wants to help his people his intentions aren't completely selfless...

He has the heart of a dwarf...I'd expect no less!

Mr Stereo1 wrote:For myself I think my Dwarf Merchant is going to go for Carousing (Haggling), Foraging (Guiding, Shooting). He's a travelling, but he's a trader not some Ranger, so I figure he's more like to have a crossbow or something to guard his goods than know how to track deer through the forest on a moonless night or something like that.

Works for me!

And just read Lofar's entry on the character thread, Stereo. Thank you for the nice hooks!

Hi there!

Is there a spot still open for this? I've been reading the rules over and over and it looks really cool.

Jernau35 wrote:Hi there!

Is there a spot still open for this? I've been reading the rules over and over and it looks really cool.

Greetings! I don’t have a minimum or maximum number in mind (not 13?). Pitch a concept and I can get you added.

Mr Stereo1 wrote:I'm up for having a social link between the characters if you want to try developing that.

Sure! I was thinking the same thing.

Actually, I would be up for anything you can think of. (well, almost anything)

roryb wrote:Perhaps he befriended the dwarf trader after the Battle and decided to accompany him south to Gondor?

On the hunt for remaining goblins that scattered?

Minas Tirith was known for its houses of healing. Your character wants to spread the knowledge of that healing...

Barwuf the Beorning is a master of making the famed healing honey cakes of course, but I like all of these suggestions laid out so far. So, I think I will try to adopt a little from each of them.

Should we move all this discussion to a char gen thread in the main game at some time?

As the king's bard, Tarabim would be acquainted with anyone who came to court. Would it be reasonable to say that Lofar and Barwuf would visit the court to seek a loan for setting up a new caravan, and learn there that the king is indisposed and incapable of deciding whether to lend them money?

roryb wrote:

Jernau35 wrote:Hi there!

Is there a spot still open for this? I've been reading the rules over and over and it looks really cool.

Greetings! I don’t have a minimum or maximum number in mind (not 13?). Pitch a concept and I can get you added.

My original thoughts were either a Woodsman hunter from Mirkwood (Foraging: Tracking, Shooting; Sneaking: Moving Quietly), or a Woodswoman shaman/mystic from the same area (Foraging: Healing; Magic: Scrying, Animal Kinship). Either of them could have travelled with the dwarven trader after the same band of orcs destroyed their village.

or Elven Loremaster (Riddling: Solving Puzzles, Reading Runes; Magic: Pyrotechnics? (something flashy to scare away goblins and wargs anyway!). Came to Minas Tirith to study historical books.

or Hobbit Explorer (Foraging: Surviving in the wild, Shooting; Fighting: Hand-to-hand combat). A Took who got the urge to adventure. Sailed down the Brandywine River one day to see where it would take him... (I made him a tough guy to play against the "Bilbo Baggins 2.0"/crafty burglar stereotype. )

Hmm. Any of those could work, particularly the first three (the Brandywine would flow westerly out to sea eventually). After events of the Five Armies, one might see elves (of Thranduil’s ilk) wandering outside of the Mirkwood fastness. I like hobbits too.

Any of those look good to me as a fellow player. Conceding rory's point about plausibility of the Brandywine path to Gondor, the bad-ass hobbit might broaden the party's skill set most. We don't have anyone else with the Fighting trait!

I was thinking of going Fighting and Sneaking. If Jernau35 doesn't take a Hobbit I will, was trying to think up how to get a Hobbit there last night. Maybe from the Gladden fields instead of the Shire? Not sure if there were still Hobbits there at this date but we could always say there were in this version. That would make him a Stoor.

https://lotr.fandom.com/wiki/Gladden_Fields

https://lotr.fandom.com/wiki/Stoor

Rex wrote:I was thinking of going Fighting and Sneaking. If Jernau35 doesn't take a Hobbit I will, was trying to think up how to get a Hobbit there last night. Maybe from the Gladden fields instead of the Shire? Not sure if there were still Hobbits there at this date but we could always say there were in this version. That would make him a Stoor.

https://lotr.fandom.com/wiki/Gladden_Fields

https://lotr.fandom.com/wiki/Stoor

We are free to reimagine! We already have a failing line of Kings of Gondor, rather than the Stewards. No mention of the Rangers yet, so feel free with your Stoor from the Gladden Fields idea!

Well, I was thinking he might leave the river and travel overland at some point (I have a bit of inspiration based on an old White Dwarf scenario actually). Or possibly there might be passing ships heading to Dol Amroth or other points in south-western Gondor. The river just seemed like a good way to leave the Shire and go on an adventure without heading in the same direction as Bilbo and the Dwarves at roughly the same time .

I figured if he travels through the Gap of Rohan, it would affect all the "What's a hobbit?" behaviour when Merry and Pippin show up mere decades later.

I think I shall take the non-burglar Hobbit, if that's okay.

Two hobbits! That would be something. Rex, would that affect your choice? I’d like to give him first right of refusal since he’s been on the discussion since the beginning.

Jernau35 wrote:Well, I was thinking he might leave the river and travel overland at some point (I have a bit of inspiration based on an old White Dwarf scenario actually). Or possibly there might be passing ships heading to Dol Amroth or other points in south-western Gondor. The river just seemed like a good way to leave the Shire and go on an adventure without heading in the same direction as Bilbo and the Dwarves at roughly the same time .

I figured if he travels through the Gap of Rohan, it would affect all the "What's a hobbit?" behaviour when Merry and Pippin show up mere decades later.

I was hoping we could totally ignore continuity with LotR in all its world-shaking, "angels and demons in conflict with mortals mere pawns"-type grandeur. On the other hand, a single hobbit travelling through Rohan might not necessarily come to the attention of the royal family and the riders - except as a rumor of a small-statured foreign man.