For discussing individual PC creation and the Fellowship.

Hello, and welcome!

I am quite familiar with the 1st Cubicle 7 edition, but only just got the Free League one, so will be learning the new ruleset as we go (I have already read through the book, and I believe it shall work - especially in PbP).

In GENERAL: I plan to start with the general setting of the Second Edition--
• a game set in Eriador
• starting in the year 2965
--but am open to move things around, or away from that depending on you players.
I wish to depart from the rules that "assume that the Company has been together for some time already when the game begins" and the characters meet in game, get drawn together in an adventure, and (hopefully!) bond and create a Company.
(no probem at all, of course, if people wish to create PCs that are already linked - friends, family...).

My goal is to run a campaign.
To deal with PbP issues & attrition I aim to try and manage this like an episodic series (closed standalone adventures, with their own beginning to end, that should last several weeks) with an overarching plot (thus, playing several or all the adventures also builds the campaign aspect).

So, let us start and see who wishes to play what (does everyone have the 2nd Ed' book, or do some need information on possible characters?).
And please share what expectations and goals you have.

Important note: I post 1/day and really like that daily posting rate (or at least the weekly posting but maybe slower on week-ends) and keeping the game moving forward.
Tell me what your posting rate is, and if it does not work with that 1/day.
We could then maybe start two adventures in parallel, for both posting rates?

The Heroic Cultures (PC races) in 2E are:
• Bardings (Northwomen and men from Dale)
• Dwarves of Durin's Folk (from the Lonely Mountain or elsewhere)
• Elves of Lindon (the Elves of the Westlands, by the sea)
• Hobbits of the Shire - and one can play their cousins from Bree, slightly different
• Men of Bree
• Rangers of the North

The Callings (PC classes) being:
• Captain (leader)
• Champion (fighter)
• Messenger (wanderer, explorer)
• Scholar (learned one)
• Treasure Hunter (burglar, explorer)
• Warden (protector, enemy of the shadow)

Roster:
3 slots reserved for (from the Interest Check):
• thattripletguy
• DBCowboy
• Alyse
3 slots reserved for (from 1st submissions):
• Red Shadow Claws
• Isenax
• "Galar"

Characters:
So far, we might have:
Dwarf Champion - Isenax

Characters:
So far, we might have:
Dwarf Champion - Isenax
Dwarf Leader - Homnir (ex-Red Shadow Claws)

Roster:
- 3 slots reserved for (from the Interest Check):
• thattripletguy
• DBCowboy
• Alyse
- 4 slots reserved for (from 1st submissions):
• Homnir (ex-Red Shadow Claws)
• Isenax
• "Galar"
• Vaegwrym
- So, that makes 7 so far.
For others who might arrive, I will see how we proceed.
My two thoughts are:
* if we have a lot, I can start all together at the Festival and see which PCs fit best with other PCs etc., and then move on with two different adventures from there (1 group going one way, the other the other way)-- and then see at the end of that if some/many people dropped out (since that does happen regularly in PbP) and maybe then bring the people left together?
* see who will be 1/day-ish posters and keep in the main group, and do a parallel group with others?

Characters:
So far, we might have:
• Dwarf - Alyse
• Dwarf Champion - Isenax
• Dwarf Leader - Homnir (ex-Red Shadow Claws)
• Ranger of the North, maybe champion, or treasure hunter, or even messenger - Theorondil (ex-Vaegwrym)
• Elf Warden or a Dale (lakeman) captain - thattripletguy
• Man of Bree Scholar - Galar
• - DBCowboy
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:35, Fri 03 Dec 2021.

• Dwarf Messenger - Áski Adisson (ex-Alyse)
• Dwarf Champion - Vidar son of Flar (Isenax)
• Dwarf Leader - Homnir (ex-Red Shadow Claws)
• Ranger of the North (champion, treasure hunter, messenger) - Theorondil (ex-Vaegwrym)
• Man of Bree Scholar - Galar
• Hobbit Treasure Hunter - Mip Tanglefoot (ex-Boldran)
• Elf Warden or Barding (Lakeman) Captain - thattripletguy
• - DBCowboy

We have so far:
• 3 Dwarves, a Ranger, a Man of Bree, a Hobbit
+ Elf or Barding
+ ?

• Messenger ; Champion ; Leader ; Scholar ; Treasure Hunter
+ champion, treasure hunter, or messenger
+ warden, or captain
+ ?
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:59, Fri 03 Dec 2021.

Dwarf Messenger - Áski Adisson
Dwarf Champion - Vidar son of Flar
Dwarf Leader - Homnir
Do the three Dwarves wish to have arrived together, with a merchant-caravan from Erebor/Dale?
Do all or some of the three Dwarves have some background links?

Man of Bree Scholar - Galar
Hobbit Treasure Hunter - Mip Tanglefoot
Local people, or close (Shire?), so easy to be in Bree.
Say if you wish to have some pre-game links.

Ranger of the North - Theorondil
still to choose: champion, treasure hunter, messenger
Also kind of a local person for Bree, or in the area?
Say if you see anyone you wish to have links to.

• Elf Warden
or
• Barding Captain
(thattripletguy)
If Barding, then can have come to Bree w. the caravan from Dale/Erebor.
Maybe knows some/all of the Dwarves? (or at least traveled w. them)
If Elf, then maybe a link to Theorondil? Came to the Fair for a reason (or just in Bree for other reasons?)

• (DBCowboy)

In reply to The Loremaster (msg # 8):

Homnir would love to know one or both of the dwarves', and is likely to know the ranger of the north, since his interests lie in the Grey Mountains.

To see about some common background for our Dwarves-- and others?

Vidar
From the Iron Hills, or the Blue Mountains.

Homnir
From the Grey Mountains (gathering people/Dwarves to take back there).
Maybe knows Theorondil too?

Áski

The caravan came from Erebor and Dale (a kind of joint venture for the safety of the trip).
So, if thattripletguy goes with a Barding, he too could be part of the journey.

One of the important things transported by the caravan, is a fair amount of forge items.

I'm open to background links with anyone, the other Dwarves make a great deal of sense.  Depending upon how character creation works, Vidar may have been at the Battle of Five Armies.

The Battle of the 5 Armies was in 2941 (25 years ago) so that works fine for you being part of it as a younger Dwarf.

I'm making a Ranger of the North, moving around the lone-lands I suppose. I understand Theorondil is also a ranger, did you decide upon a calling? I'm open to linking backgrounds if you want. I'm deciding between Treasure Hunter and Warden. If you're doing a Treasure Hunter I'll do the Warden.

Unless the group need some other skill set?

Theorondil and Orodil can have a common background, be traveling together, yes.

re. skill-sets, I think all the Callings will be covered.

Áski is also on the younger side, and came of age in Thorin's Halls. He had just completed his first long walk (Blue Mountains to Iron Hills) as the Quest For Erebor reached its climax, and likely carried messages for Dáin Ironfoot during the Battle Of Five Armies. Áski would afterward relocate to Erebor but spend the vast majority of the next twenty-five years away from the Lonely Mountain, traveling in service to the King Under The Mountain.

In reply to Aski Adisson (msg # 15):

Excellent.  Definitely sounds like they'd have a good chance of having met, since Vidar is a warrior (Champion), and took part in the heavy fighting.