The character creation process consists of a number of steps, and aims to create fictional individuals that are as close as possible to their player’s wishes, and that at the same time conform to the source material. The Loremaster should assist their players during this process, providing insight into the rules when needed, or simply to advise a player in making choices that are both true to the game’s setting and make for a satisfying character to play.

To create a character, each player must first choose a Heroic Culture, selecting the one that is closest to the hero concept that they have in mind. All Cultures presented in this belong to the different clans of Dwarves, scattered around Middle-Earth in the Fourth Age.

Dwarves of Erebor and the Glittering Caves (Longbeards)
Dwarves of Nogrod and Belegost (Firebeards and Broadbeams)
Dwarves of the Iron Hills (Longbeards)
Dwarves of Ered Luin (Longbeards, Firebeards, and Broadbeams)
Dwarves of the Orocarni (Ironfists, Stiffbears, Blacklocks, and Stonefoots)

Once they have made their choice, players refer to the appropriate Heroic Culture writeup page and follow the steps described below, copying all information onto the character sheet.

1. Record your Cultural Blessing

2. Determine your Attributes, choosing a set or rolling a Success die

3. Calculate your STRENGTH, HEART, and WITS Target Numbers — each TN is equal to 20 minus its corresponding Attribute score

4. Calculate your Derived Stats: Endurance, Hope, and Parry

5. Record your Skill and Combat Proficiency Ratings

6. Choose your Distinctive Features

7. Choose a Name and Age

ANSWER THE CALL TO ADVENTURE

Players finalise their character creation process by moving on to page 44 and applying the steps described below.

1. Choose a Calling, from among Captain, Champion, Messenger, Scholar, Treasure Hunter, and Warden

2. Spend Previous Experience points

3. Choose your starting Gear

4. Record your VALOUR and WISDOM scores at 1 and choose your Starting Reward and Virtue

GATHER THE COMPANY

Last, but not least, all players cooperate in adding details about how their newly-created adventurers met each other and formed a Company (this will primarily be explained at the beginning of the game though your characters could know eachother prior to the start).
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:38, Sat 09 Mar.

Heroic Cultures

Bilbo began to feel there really was something of a bold adventurer about himself after all…

In Middle-Earth, the culture to which an adventurer belongs often defines them more profoundly than simply in terms of customs and traditions. For this reason, the most important choice that players must make is to select the Culture of origin of their adventurers.

Each Heroic Culture’s writeup is composed along the same format of presentation, illustrated in the following paragraphs.

Characteristics

This section offers a number of details defining the appearance of a typical hero belonging to that culture and includes information about their adventuring age and martial tradition. A character’s age is recorded on the character sheet. In general, heroes rarely start their adventuring career before they are deemed fully grown by their culture. On the other hand, if they progress too far into adulthood without answering the call to adventure, then they probably won’t heed it at all.

Moreover, it provides the description of their Cultural Blessing — a special ability possessed by all Player- heroes belonging to that culture, from the Stout- hearted quality of the Bardings to the Redoubtable nature of the Dwarves (this part may additionally include information defining a particular weakness or limitation that is associated with all members of the culture).

The section is concluded by a rough indication of the starting resources available to the average adventurer belonging to that culture, in the form of a Standard of Living (see page 72). The game ranks the economic status of a folk in six tiers: Poor, Frugal, Common, Prosperous, Rich and Very Rich.

Attributes

There are three Attributes in The One Ring: STRENGTH, HEART, and WITS. These scores describe an adventurer’s fundamental physical, emotional, and mental capabilities— the comparison between the three ratings provides a rough outline of an adventurer that is recognisable at a glance: Is your hero physically stronger, or more spiritually robust? Or are their wits their most distinctive quality?

A Player- hero with a high STRENGTH score can be tough and fit, or quick and alert, or physically attractive or imposing. Every aspect of an adventurer that relies on vigour or physical well- being is represented in the game by STRENGTH.

HEART measures an adventurer’s capacity for emotion, empathy, and enthusiasm. A Player- hero with a high HEART score can be fiery, energetic, and hard to daunt. Activities that benefit from a passionate or dynamic temper may be influenced by a Player- hero’s HEART score.

A Player- hero with a high WITS rating can be clever, attentive, and ingenious. Any action that calls for an adventurer to be sharp- witted, sensible, or wise, benef its from a Player- hero’s WITS score.

TARGET NUMBERS

The three Attribute ratings are used to determine a Player- hero’s standard TNs — the default difficulty levels of all rolls made to challenge the characteristics of a hero.

Each Attribute TN is equal to 20 minus its corresponding Attribute score:

The STRENGTH TN is used in conjunction with all STRENGTH Skills, and when resolving attack rolls.

The HEART TN is used in conjunction with all HEART Skills and when making VALOUR rolls, for example to resist the effects of dread.

The WITS TN is used in conjunction with all WITS Skills and when making rolls of WISDOM, for example to resist the effects of sorcery and greed.

Derived Stats

The Attribute scores of Player- heroes are used to determine three derived stats: their Endurance and Hope maximum scores, and their Parry rating.

Endurance and Hope are the fundamental resources that keep an adventurer going — Endurance points are lost while engaging in strenuous activities, Hope points are spent voluntarily by players when their Player- heroes try to overcome their limits. The Parry score sets the Target Number for all attack rolls targeting a Player- hero.

Skills and Combat Proficiencies

Skills represent those abilities that adventurers employ most often, while Combat Proficiencies reflect the expertise of a Player- hero in fighting. The competence of a Player- hero is represented by a rating, ranging from 0 (lowest) to 6 (highest). Ratings in an ability are recorded by filling in the diamond- shaped boxes to the right of its name.


Distinctive Features

The three Attributes — STRENGTH, HEART, and WITS — give a good impression of an adventurer, but they fall short in defining what sets one individual apart from another. Distinctive Features are traits typically displayed by heroes from a given Culture that are used to add nuance to their personality.

Languages and Typical Names

Every reader of  Tolkien knows how much the Professor loved languages — their structure, origins, and evolution — and to what length he laboured to devise the various names native to his fictional world, or to find suitable real- world ones. The language of most folks inhabiting Middle- earth has been given some attention, and the most important ones, like the different Elven tongues, sport a sizable vocabulary and consistent grammatical rules.

Every name in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit has been carefully crafted, building upon solid linguistic foundations, and represents a precise cultural influence. The native language of every character- type presented in this chapter has been identified, and a list of personal names appropriate to each Culture is provided.

Players will find notes about the languages known by members of each particular people, and a list of character names for the players to choose from. Of course, players are free to name their characters in any way they prefer, but a level of consistency with the tradition of the culture they belong to is strongly advised.

MANY TONGUES

Different languages can provide intriguing roleplaying opportunities, if the Lore master and the players are interested. This shouldn’t get in the way of the fun, however. While  Tolkien used the linguistic differences among the various realms of Middle- earth to good narrative effect, he also found it simpler to avoid steep cultural barriers and gave most ethnic groups (even Orcs and other more fantastical creatures, like Ents) at least a passing knowledge of what constituted a ‘lingua franca,’ the so- called Common Speech, or Westron. This allows players who don’t want to deal with the complex relations between the various peoples and their languages to ignore the entire subject altogether without damaging the setting. But if you are willing to explore this angle, it is certainly worth investigating.

Dwarves of Erebor and the Glittering Caves

Only on the Road would travellers be found, most often Dwarves, hurrying along on business of their own, and with no help and few words to spare for strangers.

The Dwarves are an ancient and proud folk, whose customs and traditions are mostly unknown to outsiders. A dwindling people, they have recently recovered some of their lost greatness, and a Dwarven King reigns once again under the Lonely Mountain, in Wilderland.

Many Dwarves cross into Eriador from the East, on their way to their mines in the Blue Mountains. They can often be seen marching along the East-West Road that runs through the Shire and ends at the Grey Havens.

Characteristics

The Dwarves are exceedingly strong for their height, and hard to break or corrupt, but often at odds with other folks over old quarrels or new slights. They are short and stocky, with robust limbs and heads crowned with long hair and longer beards that give them their typically elderly appearance. When on a journey or in battle they plait their forked beards and thrust them into their belts.

Dwarves generally start their life on the road in their fifties, and do not usually consider retiring before their nineties. Around that time, many among them choose to dedicate themselves solely to the perfection of their crafts. In battle most Dwarves use axes and swords, but those belonging to their easternmost kin wield heavy two-handed mattocks, a weapon derived from their mining tools.

CULTURAL BLESSING — REDOUBTABLE

Dwarves make light of burdens, especially when it comes to wearing armour. You halve the Load rating of any armour you’re wearing (rounding fractions up), including helms (but not shields).

Gimli the dwarf alone wore openly a short shirt of steel-rings, for dwarves make light of burdens…

NAUGRIM

Dwarves are shorter than Men, but their work as miners and smiths endows them with powerful arms and shoulders. Yet, they still favour shorter weapons over longer ones. Dwarven adventurers cannot use the following pieces of war gear: great bow, great spear, and great shield.

STANDARD OF LIVING — PROSPEROUS

With the fabulous Dragon-hoard of Erebor reclaimed and their kingdom restored, the Dwarves are much richer today than in the past.

Attributes

Choose one set of Attributes, or roll a Success die:


DERIVED STATS

Calculate the following scores based on your chosen Attribute ratings:


SKILLS

Copy the listed Skill ranks onto the character sheet; then, choose one Skill among the two underlined and mark it as Favoured.


COMBAT PROFICIENCIES

Copy the following Combat Proficiency ranks onto the character sheet, selecting a preferred Proficiency when offered a choice.


DISTINCTIVE FEATURES

Choose two Distinctive Features among those listed: Cunning, Fierce, Lordly, Proud, Secretive, Stern, Wary, Wilful.

LANGUAGES AND TYPICAL NAMES

All Dwarves speak the Common Tongue, but preserve a knowledge of a secret Dwarvish language. They receive a true name at birth that they do not reveal to members of other folks, and adopt another name in the tradition of their neighbours. This custom has been in use for so long that a number of names have become traditionally associated with Dwarves, and are used almost exclusively by them. Dwarves of renown are sometimes given an honorific title, celebrating an exceptional deed or distinctive quality (for example, Thorin Oakenshield or Dáin Ironfoot).

MALE NAMES

Ai, Anar, Beli, Bláin, Borin, Burin, Bruni, Farin, Flói, Frár, Frerin, Frór, Ginar, Gróin, Grór, Hanar, Hepti, Iari, Lófar, Lóni, Náli, Nár, Niping, Nói, Núr, Nýrád, Ónar, Póri, Regin, Svior, Veig, Vidar.

FEMALE NAMES

Adís, Afrid, Agda, Bersa, Birna, Dagrún, Dís, Drífa, Edda, Elin, Fenja, Frida, Geira, Gísla, Hadda, Hón, Ida, Ilmr, Jóra, Kára, Kóna, Líf, Línhild, Már, Mist, Nál, Oda, Ósk, Rán, Rinda, Sefa, Syn, Tóra, Trana, Úlfrún, Vírún, Yrr.

Virtues of the Dwarves of Erebor and the Glittering Caves

The reserved and surly character of Dwarves has often been misinterpreted by others as hostility or untrustworthiness. Their secretiveness has even led other folks to believe that they possess strange and uncanny powers.

BARUK KHAZÂD!
The secret tongue of the Dwarves is guarded as a treasure of the past, yet their battle-cry is well-known and feared by their chief foes.

Once per combat, when you fight in a Forward stance you can make your attack roll Favoured and attempt the Intimidate Foe combat task as a secondary action.

“Baruk Khazâd! Khazâd ai-mênu!” An axe swung and swept back. Two Orcs fell headless. The rest fled.

BROKEN SPELLS

In ancient times, the Dwarves made mighty spells. You have been taught fragments of old enchantments that retain some power to this day.

Choose one Skill for each category (STRENGTH, HEART, and WITS) and mark them with a dot (or rune!) on your character sheet. Whenever you use any one of the three marked Skills, you can spend 1 Hope to achieve a Magical success.

…they spoke fragments of broken spells of opening…

DARK FOR DARK BUSINESS

Your kind is not troubled by mere darkness in itself, as most of the members of other cultures are. On the contrary, you have grown to like the dark better than the light, finding yourself at ease in its cold embrace.

When you are in the dark (at night, or underground) you are Inspired on all your rolls.

“We like the dark,” said the dwarves. “Dark for dark business! There are many hours before dawn.”

DURIN’S WAY

The Dwarves have fought many wars in deep places beneath the earth. You have been taught how to best defend yourself while fighting underground. As a result, you know how to exploit corners, darkness, and other natural obstacles to your advantage.

Add +2 to your Parry rating when fighting underground, or in otherwise cramped quarters, like inside a building.

That was the beginning of the War of the Dwarves and the Orcs, which was long and deadly, and fought for the most part in deep places beneath the earth.

STONE-HARD

The Dwarves were made to be strong and to endure, for they came unto the world when a great evil ruled Middle-earth. As long as your spirit supports your strength, you can resist any hurt of the body more hardily than most.

All your PROTECTION rolls are Favoured, as long as you are not Miserable.

They are secretive, laborious, retentive of the memory of injuries, and of benefits…

UNTAMEABLE SPIRIT

Dwarves were made from their beginning to resist any form of domination. You have strengthened your resolve against all but the most subtle of the weapons of the Enemy.

Raise your maximum Hope rating by 1 point. You gain (1d) on all Shadow Tests made to resist the effects of Sorcery.

Though they could be slain or broken, they could not be reduced to shadows enslaved to another will…
This message was last edited by the GM at 10:31, Sun 10 Mar.

Dwarves of Nogrod and Belegost

“After the end of the First Age the power and wealth of Khazad-dûm was much increased, for it was enriched by many people and much lore and craft when the ancient cities of Nogrod and Belegost in the Blue Mountains were ruined in the breaking of Thangorodrim.”

There were seven kings of the Dwarves, and they founded seven Houses. Durin was first and eldest, and his mansion of Khazad-dûm was the greatest. But there were mighty kings, too, in the cities of Belegost and Nogrod in the Blue Mountains. In ancient days, the Elven realm of Beleriand lay west of the mountains, and the Dwarves learned much from the Elves there — though they were not always friends — and grew masterful in craft, especially jewel-smithing. In return, the Elves learned much from them about smithcraft, an art the Dwarves were never outmatched at, even by the Noldor.

Then, alas, the world was shattered. The sea drowned Beleriand, and upheavals of the earth brought ruin to the twin cities. Some of the folk of Belegost and Nogrod remained in the Blue Mountains, where their descendants still dwell, but many more fled to the safety of Moria. They dwelt there, but kept a little apart from the dwarves of Durin’s line. The Dwarves of Belegost and Nogrod had their own customs, their own noble lines — and though their treasure hoards were gone and they were forced to labour as common smiths, they still held themselves the equal of any Longbeard princeling.

Characteristics

Today, many thousands of years since the days of Beleriand, few outsiders can tell the difference between a Dwarf of Durin’s Folk and those of Belegost and Nogrod. There has been so much intermarriage between the clans that once-distinctive traits like fiery-red beards or especially broad shoulders are no longer unique to one clan or another. Only scholars who delve into Dwarven genealogies can say which folk a Dwarf belongs to — but these divisions remain vitally important to the Dwarves.

And those who were not of Durin’s Folk said also: Khazad-dûm was not our Father’s house — what is it to us, unless a hope of treasure.

CULTURAL BLESSING — REDOUBTABLE

Dwarves make light of burdens, especially when it comes to wearing armour. You halve the Load rating of any armour you’re wearing (rounding fractions up), including helms (but not shields).

Gimli the dwarf alone wore openly a short shirt of steel-rings, for dwarves make light of burdens…

PETTY DWARVES

Like other Dwarves, the Dwarves of Nogrod and Belegost cannot use great bows, great spears, or great shields. In addition, it is said that they love none but themselves. You can only choose another Dwarf as your Fellowship Focus.

STANDARD OF LIVING — COMMON

The treasure of Erebor belongs to Durin’s Folk; many of the Dwarves of Nogrod and Belegost can only envy their cousins’ good fortune.

Attributes

Choose one set of Attributes, or roll a Success die:


DERIVED STATS

Calculate the following scores based on your chosen Attribute ratings:


SKILLS

Copy the listed Skill ranks onto the character sheet; then, choose one Skill among the two underlined and mark it as Favoured.


COMBAT PROFICIENCIES

Copy the following Combat Proficiency ranks onto the character sheet, selecting a preferred Proficiency when offered a choice.


DISTINCTIVE FEATURES

Choose two Distinctive Features among those listed: Cunning, Fierce, Proud, Rustic, Secretive, Stern, Wary, Wilful.

LANGUAGES AND TYPICAL NAMES

As all Dwarves, the Dwarves of Nogrod and Belegost speak the Common Tongue, and jealously preserve a knowledge of their own strange language. After the destruction of their ancestral cities, they started adopting names in the tradition of the Dwarves of Durin’s line.

MALE NAMES

Ai, Anar, Beli, Bláin, Borin, Burin, Bruni, Farin, Flói, Frár, Frerin, Frór, Ginar, Gróin, Grór, Hanar, Hepti, Iari, Lófar, Lóni, Náli, Nár, Niping, Nói, Núr, Nýrád, Ónar, Póri, Regin, Svior, Veig, Vidar.

FEMALE NAMES

Adís, Afrid, Agda, Bersa, Birna, Dagrún, Dís, Drífa, Edda, Elin, Fenja, Frida, Geira, Gísla, Hadda, Hón, Ida, Ilmr, Jóra, Kára, Kóna, Líf, Línhild, Már, Mist, Nál, Oda, Ósk, Rán, Rinda, Sefa, Syn, Tóra, Trana, Úlfrún, Vírún, Yrr.

Virtues of the Dwarves of Nogrod and Belegost

The Dwarves of Nogrod and Belegost can choose their Virtues from among those of the Dwarves of Erebor and the Glittering Caves, replacing Broken Spells and Durin’s Way with Ancient Fire and Telchar's Secrets:

BARUK KHAZÂD!
The secret tongue of the Dwarves is guarded as a treasure of the past, yet their battle-cry is well-known and feared by their chief foes.

Once per combat, when you fight in a Forward stance you can make your attack roll Favoured and attempt the Intimidate Foe combat task as a secondary action.

“Baruk Khazâd! Khazâd ai-mênu!” An axe swung and swept back. Two Orcs fell headless. The rest fled.

ANCIENT FIRE

Whether it is due to the mastery of their Creator, or to a simple accustoming to the heat of the forge, it is known that the Dwarves withstand elements more hardily than others.

Raise your maximum Endurance rating by 1 point. Any Endurance loss from extreme cold, fire, and poison you suffer is reduced by one level (grievous to severe, severe to moderate, moderate to none).

“...these are the descendants of the Naugrim of the Elder Days, in whose hearts still burns the ancient fire of Aulë the Smith…”

DARK FOR DARK BUSINESS

Your kind is not troubled by mere darkness in itself, as most of the members of other cultures are. On the contrary, you have grown to like the dark better than the light, finding yourself at ease in its cold embrace.

When you are in the dark (at night, or underground) you are Inspired on all your rolls.

“We like the dark,” said the dwarves. “Dark for dark business! There are many hours before dawn.”

TELCHAR’S SECRETS

Telchar, one of the greatest smiths of your folk, wrought the Blade that was Broken in the deeps of time. As much as you can only hope to match his skill, many of his secrets have been revealed to you.

Next Yule, you may either add a single Enchanted Reward of Dwarven craftsmanship to a mail armour or close combat weapon of your choice, or create a Marvellous Artefact (your choice).

“...in metal-work we cannot rival our fathers, many of whose secrets are lost.”

STONE-HARD

The Dwarves were made to be strong and to endure, for they came unto the world when a great evil ruled Middle-earth. As long as your spirit supports your strength, you can resist any hurt of the body more hardily than most.

All your PROTECTION rolls are Favoured, as long as you are not Miserable.

They are secretive, laborious, retentive of the memory of injuries, and of benefits…

UNTAMEABLE SPIRIT

Dwarves were made from their beginning to resist any form of domination. You have strengthened your resolve against all but the most subtle of the weapons of the Enemy.

Raise your maximum Hope rating by 1 point. You gain (1d) on all Shadow Tests made to resist the effects of Sorcery.

Though they could be slain or broken, they could not be reduced to shadows enslaved to another will…
This message was last edited by the GM at 10:57, Sun 10 Mar.

Dwarves of the Iron Hills

With cries of “Moria!” and “Dain, Dain!” the Dwarves of the Iron Hills plunged in... Panic came upon the Goblins.

Beyond the Waste, where the river Redwater runs swiftly south, rise the Iron Hills, the old kingdom of Dain Ironfoot. Named thusly because their roots were rich in the metals of martial craftsmanship, they are the home of a hardy breed of Dwarves, survivors who left the Grey Mountains almost five hundred years ago under the leadership of Gror. For centuries the Dwarves of the Iron Hills have toiled in deep places under the earth, in dark mines and brightly lit smithies, and the sound of their hammers striking anvils has never ceased to ring in the surrounding dales and valleys.

Today, the Iron Hills are run by a steward in absence of their ruler, Thorin Stonehelm, as he has risen to the throne of Erebor after King Dain's death in the War of the Ring. The steward rules over Thorin's old abode, in the company of his most trusted warriors and retainers, and of those who chose not to leave their ancient homes to go west and return to the Lonely Mountain.

Characteristics

The remaining Dwarves of the Iron Hills are, for the most part, a proud and stern folk, and among them are warriors who ahve seen many wars. Though they are not as rich in treasure as their kin in Erebor, they take great pride in their smith-craft, especially in the making of weapons and armour.

The Dwarves of the Iron Hills live the simple but harsh life of miners and smiths. They are often gruff and terse when dealing with outsiders, as choosing to remain on the far eastern edge of the Wild has made them short-spoken, short-tempered, and often quick to seek out a physical solution when a threat arises.

CULTURAL BLESSING — REDOUBTABLE

Dwarves make light of burdens, especially when it comes to wearing armour. You halve the Load rating of any armour you’re wearing (rounding fractions up), including helms (but not shields).

Gimli the dwarf alone wore openly a short shirt of steel-rings, for dwarves make light of burdens…

NAUGRIM

Dwarves are shorter than Men, but their work as miners and smiths endows them with powerful arms and shoulders. Yet, they still favour shorter weapons over longer ones. Dwarven adventurers cannot use the following pieces of war gear: great bow, great spear, and great shield.

STANDARD OF LIVING — COMMON

What lies under the roots of the Iron Hills cannot compare to the wealth in precious stones and gold that rests below Erebor. The death of the Dragon has improved the trade between the Iron Hills and the lands to the west, but the eastern Dwarves remain much poorer than their western cousins.

Attributes

Choose one set of Attributes, or roll a Success die:


DERIVED STATS

Calculate the following scores based on your chosen Attribute ratings:


SKILLS

Copy the listed Skill ranks onto the character sheet; then, choose one Skill among the two underlined and mark it as Favoured.


COMBAT PROFICIENCIES

Copy the following Combat Proficiency ranks onto the character sheet, selecting a preferred Proficiency when offered a choice.


DISTINCTIVE FEATURES

Choose two Distinctive Features among those listed: Cunning, Fierce, Honourable, Keen-Eyed, Proud, Stern, Wary, Wilful.

LANGUAGES AND TYPICAL NAMES

All Dwarves speak the Common Tongue, but preserve a knowledge of a secret Dwarvish language. They receive a true name at birth that they do not reveal to members of other folks, and adopt another name in the tradition of their neighbours. This custom has been in use for so long that a number of names have become traditionally associated with Dwarves, and are used almost exclusively by them.

MALE NAMES

Ai, Anar, Beli, Bláin, Borin, Burin, Bruni, Farin, Flói, Frár, Frerin, Frór, Ginar, Gróin, Grór, Hanar, Hepti, Iari, Lófar, Lóni, Náli, Nár, Niping, Nói, Núr, Nýrád, Ónar, Póri, Regin, Svior, Veig, Vidar.

FEMALE NAMES

Adís, Afrid, Agda, Bersa, Birna, Dagrún, Dís, Drífa, Edda, Elin, Fenja, Frida, Geira, Gísla, Hadda, Hón, Ida, Ilmr, Jóra, Kára, Kóna, Líf, Línhild, Már, Mist, Nál, Oda, Ósk, Rán, Rinda, Sefa, Syn, Tóra, Trana, Úlfrún, Vírún, Yrr.

Virtues of the Dwarves of the Iron Hills

The virtues of the Dwarves that chose to continue on in the Iron Hills is self-evident. They could easily have chosen to share in the riches of Erebor, but instead they do the hard work of maintaining the massive iron refineries in the East.

The Dwarves of the Iron Hills can choose their Virtues from among those of the Dwarves of Erebor and the Glittering Caves, exchanging Broken Spells and Durin's Way for the Sworn Allegiance and Armory.

BARUK KHAZÂD!
The secret tongue of the Dwarves is guarded as a treasure of the past, yet their battle-cry is well-known and feared by their chief foes.

Once per combat, when you fight in a Forward stance you can make your attack roll Favoured and attempt the Intimidate Foe combat task as a secondary action.

“Baruk Khazâd! Khazâd ai-mênu!” An axe swung and swept back. Two Orcs fell headless. The rest fled.

SWORN ALLEGIANCE

You do not give your trust to others easily, but when it happens, the bond that is formed is so strong that you treat your friends as kinsmen.

You may choose a second Fellowship Focus. When an enemy attacks one of your Fellowship Focuses, you gain (1d) on attack rolls again that enemy for the remainder of the combat. If at least one of your Fellowship Focuses is a fellow Dwarf, raise the company Fellowship Rating by 1.

DARK FOR DARK BUSINESS

Your kind is not troubled by mere darkness in itself, as most of the members of other cultures are. On the contrary, you have grown to like the dark better than the light, finding yourself at ease in its cold embrace.

When you are in the dark (at night, or underground) you are Inspired on all your rolls.

“We like the dark,” said the dwarves. “Dark for dark business! There are many hours before dawn.”

ARMORY

Dwarves of the Iron Hills are stronger, tougher, and hardier it seems than their more prosperous brethren. Not only can they seemingly carry an entire armory on their back, but the weight hardly seems to bother them in battle.

You halve the load rating of all weapons and shields you carry (fractions rounded up). You cannot be made Weary during combat. If you are already Weary before combat begins, then you suffer the effects as normal.

STONE-HARD

The Dwarves were made to be strong and to endure, for they came unto the world when a great evil ruled Middle-earth. As long as your spirit supports your strength, you can resist any hurt of the body more hardily than most.

All your PROTECTION rolls are Favoured, as long as you are not Miserable.

They are secretive, laborious, retentive of the memory of injuries, and of benefits…

UNTAMEABLE SPIRIT

Dwarves were made from their beginning to resist any form of domination. You have strengthened your resolve against all but the most subtle of the weapons of the Enemy.

Raise your maximum Hope rating by 1 point. You gain (1d) on all Shadow Tests made to resist the effects of Sorcery.

Though they could be slain or broken, they could not be reduced to shadows enslaved to another will…
This message was last edited by the GM at 10:57, Sun 10 Mar.

Dwarves of Ered Luin

Now they had fair halls in the mountains, and store of goods, and their days did not seem so hard, though in their songs they spoke ever of the Lonely Mountain far away.

The first Dwarves of the Blue Mountains were the hardy warriors of Nogrod and Belegost, the two great mountain-cities of the First Age. Master craftsmen, and great haters of Orcs and Dragons, their power was ended when their mansions were drowned in the breaking of Beleriand.

In the early years of the Fourth Age, the Dwarves of Ered Luin are loyal subjects of the King of Durin's Folk, as their halls were founded anew when Thrain the Second led his people to these mountains after the destruction of Erebor. His son, Thorin Oakenshield, ruled here for a time and the Blue Mountains became a realm of plenty and peace, drawing wayward Dwarves from as far south as Dunland.

Though many who dwelt in the Blue Mountains have now returned to Erebor, some dwell here still. Those Dwarves who remain take special comfort and interest in restoring the relics of their past, be they ancient weapons or forgotten songs. They search the mountains for traces of their lost cities, probing deep into their roots and climbing their most remote peaks. For them, there is no greater joy than discovering runes engraved on a broken stone, or finding the entrance to a collapsed mine. And they would face any threat to wrest those jewels from the grasp of forgetfulness.

Characteristics

The Dwarves of the Blue Mountains live a secluded life in their holds, like most members of their folk. What makes them peculiar is their relative lack of interest in those activities that other Dwarves seem to obsess over - they eschew most martial practices, and do not dedicate much of their time in the furthering of their crafts, with the exception of those skills aimed to restore and preserve the work of their ancestors.

CULTURAL BLESSING — REDOUBTABLE

Dwarves make light of burdens, especially when it comes to wearing armour. You halve the Load rating of any armour you’re wearing (rounding fractions up), including helms (but not shields).

Gimli the dwarf alone wore openly a short shirt of steel-rings, for dwarves make light of burdens…

NAUGRIM

Dwarves are shorter than Men, but their work as miners and smiths endows them with powerful arms and shoulders. Yet, they still favour shorter weapons over longer ones. Dwarven adventurers cannot use the following pieces of war gear: great bow, great spear, and great shield.

STANDARD OF LIVING — PROSPEROUS

The Dwarves of the Blue Mountains have gradually grown wealthy over the years. Much of their gold comes from trade and from the ruins of abandoned holds or the reopened mines of their ancestors, patiently rediscovered and then hoarded within their vaults.

Attributes

Choose one set of Attributes, or roll a Success die:


DERIVED STATS

Calculate the following scores based on your chosen Attribute ratings:


SKILLS

Copy the listed Skill ranks onto the character sheet; then, choose one Skill among the two underlined and mark it as Favoured.


COMBAT PROFICIENCIES

Copy the following Combat Proficiency ranks onto the character sheet, selecting a preferred Proficiency when offered a choice.


DISTINCTIVE FEATURES

Choose two Distinctive Features among those listed: Cunning, Fierce, Patient, Proud, Secretive, Stern, Subtle, Wary.

LANGUAGES AND TYPICAL NAMES

All Dwarves speak the Common Tongue, but preserve a knowledge of a secret Dwarvish language. They receive a true name at birth that they do not reveal to members of other folks, and adopt another name in the tradition of their neighbours. This custom has been in use for so long that a number of names have become traditionally associated with Dwarves, and are used almost exclusively by them.

MALE NAMES

Ai, Anar, Beli, Bláin, Borin, Burin, Bruni, Farin, Flói, Frár, Frerin, Frór, Ginar, Gróin, Grór, Hanar, Hepti, Iari, Lófar, Lóni, Náli, Nár, Niping, Nói, Núr, Nýrád, Ónar, Póri, Regin, Svior, Veig, Vidar.

FEMALE NAMES

Adís, Afrid, Agda, Bersa, Birna, Dagrún, Dís, Drífa, Edda, Elin, Fenja, Frida, Geira, Gísla, Hadda, Hón, Ida, Ilmr, Jóra, Kára, Kóna, Líf, Línhild, Már, Mist, Nál, Oda, Ósk, Rán, Rinda, Sefa, Syn, Tóra, Trana, Úlfrún, Vírún, Yrr.

Virtues of the Dwarves of Ered Luin

Though some may claim that the Dwarves of the Blue Mountains have lost some of their Dwarven heritage in their years of sloth, there are still many virtuous things about these hardy folk.

The Dwarves of Ered Luin can choose their Virtues from among those of the Dwarves of Erebor and the Glittering Caves, exchanging Broken Spells and Durin's Way for Deep Songs and Preservers.

BARUK KHAZÂD!
The secret tongue of the Dwarves is guarded as a treasure of the past, yet their battle-cry is well-known and feared by their chief foes.

Once per combat, when you fight in a Forward stance you can make your attack roll Favoured and attempt the Intimidate Foe combat task as a secondary action.

“Baruk Khazâd! Khazâd ai-mênu!” An axe swung and swept back. Two Orcs fell headless. The rest fled.

DEEP SONGS

Strange as it might seem to others, music comes easily to your folk. You have practiced your instrument long enough that you now know how to bring out your innermost desires and aspirations.

When you succeed on a SONG roll to sing a Lay, Song of Victory, or Walking Song, you may choose to spend a success to give (1d) to another companion's next roll. In addition, once per adventure phase, you may choose to attempt a SONG roll to heal 1 point of Shadow to another companion (not Elves) or yourself.

DARK FOR DARK BUSINESS

Your kind is not troubled by mere darkness in itself, as most of the members of other cultures are. On the contrary, you have grown to like the dark better than the light, finding yourself at ease in its cold embrace.

When you are in the dark (at night, or underground) you are Inspired on all your rolls.

“We like the dark,” said the dwarves. “Dark for dark business! There are many hours before dawn.”

PRESERVERS

The Dwarves of the Blue Mountains spend much of their time preserving the cultures and artifacts of their ancestors in the ancient mountain strongholds of Nogrod and Belegost.

With the help of the Loremaster, create a Marvellous Artefact or a Famous Weapon with a single Enchanted Reward (both of Dwarven Make).

STONE-HARD

The Dwarves were made to be strong and to endure, for they came unto the world when a great evil ruled Middle-earth. As long as your spirit supports your strength, you can resist any hurt of the body more hardily than most.

All your PROTECTION rolls are Favoured, as long as you are not Miserable.

They are secretive, laborious, retentive of the memory of injuries, and of benefits…

UNTAMEABLE SPIRIT

Dwarves were made from their beginning to resist any form of domination. You have strengthened your resolve against all but the most subtle of the weapons of the Enemy.

Raise your maximum Hope rating by 1 point. You gain (1d) on all Shadow Tests made to resist the effects of Sorcery.

Though they could be slain or broken, they could not be reduced to shadows enslaved to another will…

Dwarves of the Orocarni

Durin’s Folk gathered all their host, and they were joined by great forces sent from the Houses of other Fathers...

When Aule the Smith created the Seven Fathers of the Dwarves, four of these Fathers were put to sleep and awoke in the peaks far to the east of the Misty Mountains. These clans of Dwarves are known by the names: Ironfists, Stiffbeards, Blacklocks, and Stonefoots.

Little is known in the West about these Dwarves. Even the Dwarves of Durin's folk have seldom communicated with their far-flung brethren. The most recent meeting of East and West was the Battle of Five Armies when the fathers of these far houses sent troops to aid in the reclamation of Erebor.

The Dwarves of the Red Mountains have lived in the shadow of Morgoth for their entire existence. Their proximity to the Easterling tribes has forced their people into constant warfare. The Dwarves are resistant to the corruption that has bound the Easterlings, and so the Dark Lord had commanded their destruction.

The kingdoms of the eastern Dwarves have met ruin by the early years of the Fourth Age. The great halls of old have all been consumed. The Seven Rings of the Dwarven Kings were reclaimed by Sauron or consumed by Dragons, and there is little left to celebrate in the East. Because of this, the Dwarves of the East have seen an increasing number of emigrants who travel West to live in the greatness of Erebor. These travelers bring a unique experience and culture that adds to the glory of the Lonely Mountain.

Characteristics

The Dwarves of the Orocarni are broadly similar to the Dwarves of West. In fact, they are so similar that none but Dwarves would be able to tell the difference.

The travelers from the East have subtle differences in beard styles, crafting styles, and facial structure. Despite their differences, they are still a proud people that have a love of rock, and stone, and metal like their kin; and their bodies are strong and tough as the stone they work.

CULTURAL BLESSING — REDOUBTABLE

Dwarves make light of burdens, especially when it comes to wearing armour. You halve the Load rating of any armour you’re wearing (rounding fractions up), including helms (but not shields).

Gimli the dwarf alone wore openly a short shirt of steel-rings, for dwarves make light of burdens…

NAUGRIM

Dwarves are shorter than Men, but their work as miners and smiths endows them with powerful arms and shoulders. Yet, they still favour shorter weapons over longer ones. Dwarven adventurers cannot use the following pieces of war gear: great bow, great spear, and great shield.

STANDARD OF LIVING — COMMON

The Dwarves of the Orocarni do not benefit as of yet from the riches of Erebor and their own great kingdoms have long been lost to Dragons and Evil Men. They do not live as beggars, but they no longer lives as kings as they once did.

Attributes

Choose one set of Attributes, or roll a Success die:


DERIVED STATS

Calculate the following scores based on your chosen Attribute ratings:


SKILLS

Copy the listed Skill ranks onto the character sheet; then, choose one Skill among the two underlined and mark it as Favoured.


COMBAT PROFICIENCIES

Copy the following Combat Proficiency ranks onto the character sheet, selecting a preferred Proficiency when offered a choice.


DISTINCTIVE FEATURES

Choose two Distinctive Features among those listed: Cunning, Keen-Eyed, Patient, Proud, Rustic, Secretive, Wary, Wilful.

LANGUAGES AND TYPICAL NAMES

The language of the Dwarves has changed very little in its entire history, and every Dwarf is taught this ancient tongue at birth. The Dwarves of the East that have traveled this far have also gone to great lengths to learn the common tongue of the West, and many also know the Easterling languange.

Their names are derived from the Dwarven tongue like all members of their race. One would find that the Dwarves of the Orocarni have names similar to that of Durin's Folk, with some subtle Easterling influence.

MALE NAMES

Abaz, Anar, Belam, Bláin, Borra, Burin, Bruni, Farin, Flói, Frár, Frergar, Frór, Ginar, Gróin, Grór, Hanar, Hepti, Iari, Lófang, Lóni, Náli, Nár, Niping, Nói, Núr, Nýrád, Ónna, Póri, Regin, Svior, Ulfar, Veig, Vidar.

FEMALE NAMES

Adía, Afrid, Agda, Bersa, Birna, Dagrún, Dís, Díndra, Edda, Elacali, Fenja, Frida, Geira, Gísla, Hadda, Hón, Ida, Ilmr, Jóra, Kára, Keif, Kóna, Líf, Línhira, Mára, Misti, Nál, Odama, Ósk, Ránee, Rinda, Sefa, Synree, Tóra, Trani, Úlfrúnev, Vírún, Yrina, Zir.

Virtues of the Dwarves of Ered Luin

Travelers from the East have claimed that the Dwarves of the Orocarni were corrupted by Shadow; this is not true. They are a virtuous people who have adopted a dour outlook on life due to their constant dire circumstances and their place amidst so many kingdoms of evil.

The Dwarves of the Orocarni can choose their Virtues from among those of the Dwarves of Erebor and the Glittering Caves, exchanging Broken Spells and Durin's Way for Of Evil Mind and Houses of Other Fathers.

BARUK KHAZÂD!
The secret tongue of the Dwarves is guarded as a treasure of the past, yet their battle-cry is well-known and feared by their chief foes.

Once per combat, when you fight in a Forward stance you can make your attack roll Favoured and attempt the Intimidate Foe combat task as a secondary action.

“Baruk Khazâd! Khazâd ai-mênu!” An axe swung and swept back. Two Orcs fell headless. The rest fled.

OF EVIL MIND

Dwarves of the East have fought against the Shadow since they awoke in the world with little help from Men or Elves in their struggle. When they engage the enemy, their determination and rage burns so bright as to purge sadness and misery from their hearts.

You do not suffer the effects of being Miserable for Attack Rolls. When you are Miserable, all of your attacks gain +1 Damage and when you spend Success symbols on Attack Rolls for Heavy Blows, you deal an extra +1 Damager per Success spent.

DARK FOR DARK BUSINESS

Your kind is not troubled by mere darkness in itself, as most of the members of other cultures are. On the contrary, you have grown to like the dark better than the light, finding yourself at ease in its cold embrace.

When you are in the dark (at night, or underground) you are Inspired on all your rolls.

“We like the dark,” said the dwarves. “Dark for dark business! There are many hours before dawn.”

HOUSES OF OTHER FATHERS

The Dwarves of the Orocarni are of foreign houses to the people of Durin's Folk. They bring with them skills and expertise not found in the West.

Choose one skill you are not already Favoured in and mark it as Favoured. You gain (1d) on all LORE, RIDDLE, COURTESY, PERSUASION, INSIGHT, and SCAN rolls related to Easterlings, knowledge of the East, puzzles and riddles of the East, and objects from the East.

STONE-HARD

The Dwarves were made to be strong and to endure, for they came unto the world when a great evil ruled Middle-earth. As long as your spirit supports your strength, you can resist any hurt of the body more hardily than most.

All your PROTECTION rolls are Favoured, as long as you are not Miserable.

They are secretive, laborious, retentive of the memory of injuries, and of benefits…

UNTAMEABLE SPIRIT

Dwarves were made from their beginning to resist any form of domination. You have strengthened your resolve against all but the most subtle of the weapons of the Enemy.

Raise your maximum Hope rating by 1 point. You gain (1d) on all Shadow Tests made to resist the effects of Sorcery.

Though they could be slain or broken, they could not be reduced to shadows enslaved to another will…

CALLINGS

He found himself wondering at times, especially in the autumn, about the wild lands, and strange visions of mountains that he had never seen came into his dreams.

Leaving home and setting off on the road is a courageous choice, often considered reckless by a hero’s family and folk. Adventurers leave behind all they know and love, so what is it that motivates and pushes them towards danger and the unknown?

Whatever it is that motivates the Player-heroes, it must be something that for them is worth the risk of crossing swords with the curved blades of Orcs. In The One Ring, this motivation is represented by an adventurer’s Calling.

Choosing a Calling provides a player with a starting drive, the reason that pushed their character to become an adventurer. It is not meant to represent a profession or trade, but the sum of the ambitions and aspirations that eventually set them on the road.

There are six Callings for a hero to answer:

1. Captain
2. Champion
3. Messenger
4. Scholar
5. Treasure Hunter
6. Warden

Each player should select the Calling that best adheres to their character concept, keeping in mind that coupling each Calling to a Heroic Culture results in 36 combinations — a Hobbit Treasure Hunter has very different reasons to go adventuring than a Hobbit Scholar, but this is probably even more true if that Treasure Hunter is a Dwarf, or an Elf.

Callings follow a standard presentation:

FAVOURED SKILLS: Each Calling lists three Skills. When you select a Calling, you choose two Skills among those listed and mark them as Favoured Skills.

ADDITIONAL DISTINCTIVE FEATURE: Those who answer the same Calling share a peculiar ability, in the form of a unique Distinctive Trait.

SHADOW PATH: An adventurer’s Shadow Path suggests the individual fate a Calling typically leads to if they fail to resist the Shadow’s influence.

Captain

He stood up, and seemed suddenly to grow taller. In his eyes gleamed a light, keen and commanding.

When the world is on the brink of ruin, it is the duty of all individuals of worth to rise and take the lead, whatever the risk. You have chosen to put your judgement to the service of others, to guide them in this dark hour. But you don’t want others to heed your commands out of fear or obedience — you want them to follow you because they trust you.

FAVOURED SKILLS

Choose two Skills among BATTLE, ENHEARTEN, and PERSUADE and mark them as Favoured.

ADDITIONAL DISTINCTIVE FEATURE: LEADERSHIP

You possess the ability to direct others to action. When under pressure, other people naturally turn to you for guidance.

SHADOW PATH: LURE OF POWER

When individuals are given a position of authority, either by rank, lineage, or stature, they may end up mistaking their own aggrandisement for the greater good of the people they should be guiding or keeping safe. Power is the quintessential temptation, and provides the Shadow with an easy way to win the hearts of those who desire it.

Champion
“War must be, while we defend our lives against a destroyer who would devour all…”

You deem that there is but one way to oppose the return of the Shadow, and that it is to conquer it by strength of arms. You are recognised as a warrior among your folk, a valiant fighter, onward into battle. For you, the road to adventure leads straight to wherever your foes prowl or hide.

FAVOURED SKILLS

Choose two Skills among ATHLETICS, AWE, and HUNTING and mark them as Favoured.

ADDITIONAL DISTINCTIVE FEATURE: ENEMY-LORE

Enemy-lore is not a single Distinctive Feature; you must select the type of enemies it applies to, choosing from Evil Men, Orcs, Spiders, Trolls, Wargs, and Undead. This Distinctive Feature gives you knowledge of the characteristics, habits, strengths, and weaknesses of your chosen enemy.

SHADOW PATH: CURSE OF VENGEANCE

Individuals who live by the sword are ever tempted to draw it, either literally or figuratively, when their will is thwarted or when they deem their honour to have been impugned by an insult. As corruption spreads in their spirit, their behaviour worsens, leading to more extreme violent reactions.

Messenger

“Elrond is sending Elves, and they will get in touch with the Rangers, and maybe with Thranduil’s folk in Mirkwood.”

The Wise hold that evil days lie ahead, and that to keep hope, all who fight the Enemy must be as one. Yet, many miles and centuries of isolation separate the Free Peoples, and estrangement breeds mistrust. You have decided that it is your duty to travel to distant lands, carrying tidings and warning people of the coming danger.

FAVOURED SKILLS

Choose two Skills among COURTESY, SONG, and TRAVEL and mark them as Favoured.

ADDITIONAL DISTINCTIVE FEATURE: FOLK-LORE

You possess some knowledge of the many traditional customs, beliefs, and stories of the various communities that compose the Free Peoples. Likely the result of your wanderings, this information may help you when dealing with strangers, allowing you to come up with some useful facts regarding their folk or a smattering of the appropriate language.

SHADOW PATH: WANDERING-MADNESS

Travelling afar might be the duty chosen by a messenger, but it carries the risk of never finding a place to fight for. The Road goes ever on and on, it’s true, but whither then?

Scholar

“Speak no secrets! Here is a scholar in the Ancient Tongue.”

For you, knowledge makes the wild world a less threatening place. Yellowed maps in lost books replace a fear of the unknown with curiosity and wonder, songs composed in ages past strengthen the weariest of hearts. A love of learning guides your every step, and illuminates the way for you and those who listen to your advice.

FAVOURED SKILLS

Choose two Skills among CRAFT, LORE, and RIDDLE and mark them as Favoured.

ADDITIONAL DISTINCTIVE FEATURE: RHYMES OF LORE

Rhymes of Lore are short verses created by many Cultures to help them remember significant facts from ancient history which might otherwise be lost. Scholars of Middle-earth credit much of their ancient knowledge to such rhymes.

SHADOW PATH: LURE OF SECRETS

Inquisitiveness and curiosity are desirable virtues in an individual, but knowledge can be put to malicious use, and learned individuals can look down on others as ignorant fools. Secrets are dangerous, as the very desire of uncovering them may corrupt the heart.

Treasure Hunter

Far over the Misty Mountains cold, To dungeons deep and caverns old. We must away ere break of day, To seek the pale enchanted gold.

The world has seen the passing of the glory of many Dwarven kings and Elven lords, and their heritage is now buried in Orc-infested dungeons. Hoards of stolen gold and jewels, guarded by fell beasts, beckon all who dare to find them. You seek to recover what is lost, even when it means braving unspeakable dangers.

FAVOURED SKILLS

Choose two Skills among EXPLORE, SCAN, and STEALTH and mark them as Favoured.

ADDITIONAL DISTINCTIVE FEATURE: BURGLARY

This venerable talent includes pickpocketing, lock picking and, in general, any shadowy way to get hold of the possessions of others or access protected areas.

SHADOW PATH: DRAGON-SICKNESS

Adventurers who find themselves on the Road to seek lost riches run the risk of catching the age-old disease capable of turning a pile of enchanted gold into bitter ashes. As the Shadow tightens its grip on their hearts, the world shrinks around them and their closely guarded possessions.

Warden

“Travellers scowl at us, and countrymen give us scornful names.”

In this age of the world, when shadows grow deeper with every passing year, you have sworn to defend all who cannot defend themselves. Often, your choice forces you to forsake civilised areas, to better guard their inhabitants from what lurks right outside their fences. This has made you a stranger in the eyes of the common folk, a threatening figure like those you are protecting them from.

FAVOURED SKILLS

Choose two Skills among AWARENESS, HEALING, and INSIGHT and mark them as Favoured.

ADDITIONAL DISTINCTIVE FEATURE: SHADOW-LORE

You have recognised that there is a hidden thread unifying most of what is malicious, dark, and terrible in Middle-earth, and that the thread is thickening year after year. A quality shared by the wise of the land, the truth behind this knowledge is becoming clearer as time passes.

SHADOW PATH: PATH OF DESPAIR

Self-doubt is often the way that the Shadow chooses to reach the heart of those who oppose it. For they know that the Enemy is strong and terrible and that those they protect are too naive or weak to fend for themselves. Every day they ask themselves: will my strength be enough to prevail, or will I drag down the innocent in defeat?
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:33, Mon 11 Mar.

Previous Experience

“…we have had to earn our livings as best we could up and down the lands, often enough sinking as low as blacksmith-work or even coal mining.”

The ability levels of all newly-created Player-heroes can now be raised, to represent their experiences prior to their life as adventurers.

Players have 10 points to spend on raising Skills and Combat Proficiencies. The cost of raising each ability is shown in the two tables to the right. The first table gives the costs for Skill levels, while the second shows the costs for Combat Proficiency levels.

Players are free to raise their abilities as they see fit, as long as they have enough points to buy the desired level. Players can also buy ranks in Skills or Combat Proficiencies that their Player-heroes didn’t possess at all, or buy multiple ranks in the same ability, as long as they pay the cost of each level individually.

EXAMPLE: A player wanting to go from LORE 1 to LORE 4 would spend a total of 10 points (2 to raise the Skill from 1 to 2, 3 to go from 2 to 3, and 5 to go from 3 to 4).

Starting Gear

…he got to Bywater just on the stroke of eleven, and found he had come without a pocket-handkerchief!

All heroes start their adventuring career fully equipped with all the personal items and gear they consider best suited to a life on the road. In the game, such possessions are represented by an adventurer’s war gear, travelling gear, and useful items.

War Gear

Adventuring is a demanding task, often requiring heroes to march for hours on end, along mountain paths or traversing fast-flowing rivers — wise heroes should fight the urge to choose the biggest weapons and the heaviest suits of armour, as a weighty and cumbersome burden is bound to seriously hamper their capabilities.

Before the game starts, players get to choose the weapons and armour they want their characters to carry, using the War Gear lists.

Starting heroes can choose one weapon for each Combat Proficiency for which they have a rating, and their favoured selection of armour, helms, or shields.

Players should record their chosen weapons, armour and shields on their character sheets, paying attention to the following notes:

The PROTECTION score of a coat of armour is recorded separately from that of a helm (as sometimes, during combat, a hero might resort to dropping it to reduce the carried Load and avoid becoming Weary too soon).

Shields do not offer direct protection, but make a hero less likely to be hit, by providing a bonus to Parry.

A shield’s rating is recorded separately from the main box devoted to Parry, as a shield can be smashed by an opponent’s blows.




Travelling Gear

A hero’s travelling gear includes the belongings that adventurers carry when on a journey, in addition to their weapons and armour. In winter, this includes boots and thick, warm clothes — a jacket, a fur-lined cloak, woollen hose (trousers), and blankets. During the warmer months, the adventurer may do away with the heaviest items, and just include light clothes and cloaks. Travelling gear does need to be annotated in detail on a character’s sheet only if a player wishes to do so, and is not given a Load rating.

Useful Items

Any tool, instrument, or device carried by a Player-hero to perform one or more specific tasks is a useful item. Things like a hammer, or a hunting knife, a coil of good rope, a lantern, or flint and steel to start a fire, and so on.

These are items that may gain the Player-heroes an advantage in game terms, but that also may allow them to do things that could not be done at all without them — for example, digging a hole in frozen ground can hardly be accomplished without a pickaxe.

Players are free to choose their useful items, possibly inventing a reason why a particular object is so handy — options include a particular craftsmanship, or another exotic feature. The item can also be some form of consumable or perishable goods, like a bottle of liquor, or a balm — in that case, the Player-hero is considered to always have a supply that will last for the length of the Adventuring Phase.

Useful items are listed on a Player-hero’s character sheet. To determine if they gain a Player-hero an advantage, they must be associated with a Skill, possibly along with a brief definition of their use. If a Player-hero is making a roll outside of combat using a Skill associated with a useful item, and the Loremaster deems that this should grant the hero an advantage, the Player-hero gains (1d). Only one item can benefit the same die roll.

All Player-heroes start the game with a number of useful items based on their Standard of Living, according to the table below.


LOAD

Selecting the right amount of things to carry is the first test of a hero’s mettle, and a light pack on a traveller’s back is an indication of their experience in the trade. In game terms, the hindrance that carried items cause to an adventurer, both in terms of weight and discomfort, is represented by a Load rating.

Load is monitored only as far as War Gear and Treasure is concerned. All heroes are considered to carry without discomfort a reasonable amount of personal items and gear for a life on the road (their Travelling Gear, carried also with the help of their pack animals — see Hobbit Ponies and Full-sized Horses, on page 50).

An adventurer can carry a total Load up to the character’s maximum Endurance. Since the Endurance score determines when a hero starts getting tired, it is generally much wiser to keep that total much lower than the maximum allowed (see Endurance, on page 69).

Players keep track of their hero’s Load score on their character sheets, and must update it should it change during play — If they add or remove pieces of War Gear or Treasure to what the Player-hero normally carries, the Load rating is immediately adjusted to reflect the increased or reduced burden.

EXAMPLES OF USEFUL ITEMS

A knife for skinning rabbits, a little box of salt to cook (HUNTING),

A coil of rope with grappling hook to climb (ATHLETICS),

A wind-proof lantern (SCAN)

An exotic musical instrument (SONG)

A balm to soothe pain (HEALING)

A suit of expensive clothing, earrings of pearl (AWE or COURTESY)

A liquor to infuse strength (ENHEARTEN)

A sunstone to navigate in bad weather (TRAVEL)

A fine pipe to find comfort (INSIGHT)

A detailed set of maps (EXPLORE)

A set of instruments to carve stone (CRAFT).
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:19, Thu 14 Mar.

Starting Reward and Virtue

He took from the box a small sword in an old shabby leathern scabbard.

There are many things that may betray the true nature of adventurers. It may be their weather-beaten look, or the grim determination that surfaces when they set themselves to a difficult task. In game terms, nothing defines the stuff heroes are made of better than their special abilities and superior gear.

The growth in stature of a hero in terms of power and renown is tracked in the game using two values — VALOUR and WISDOM. Both ratings are ranked from 1 to 6, reflecting the gradual transformation of a novice adventurer into a veteran hero. At the beginning of the game, the Player-heroes have yet to prove their worth, and start with a rating of 1 in both characteristics.

Among their various effects on gameplay, VALOUR and WISDOM grant players special abilities: Abilities granted by gaining a new rank in WISDOM are called Virtues, while those gained by an increased rank in VALOUR are called Rewards.

Virtues give the Player-heroes access to the peculiar abilities of their folk.

Rewards are upgrades that enhance a hero’s war gear.

At the start of the game, all players get to choose 1 Virtue and 1 Reward, selecting them among those listed below:

STARTING REWARDS

1. Close-fitting (armour or helm) — Add +2 to the result of your PROTECTION roll.
2. Cunning Make (armour, helm or shield) — Reduce your Load rating by 2.
3. Fell (weapon) — Raise the Injury rating of a weapon by 2.
4. Grievous (weapon) — Raise the Damage rating of a weapon by 1.
5. Keen (weapon) — Attack rolls score a Piercing Blow on a 9+.
6. Reinforced (shield) — Raise a shield’s Parry bonus by +1.

STARTING VIRTUES

1. Confidence — Raise your Hope by 2.
2. Dour-handed — Add +1 to the damage inflicted on a Heavy Blow.
3. Hardiness — Raise your Endurance by 2.
4. Mastery — Choose two Skills and make them Favoured.
5. Nimbleness — Raise your Parry rating by 1.
6. Prowess — Reduce one Attribute TN by 1.

The Company

“I am looking for someone to share in an adventure that I am arranging, and it’s very difficult to find anyone.”

Adventurers know that burdens are easier to bear when shared with others. That’s one of the reasons why they gather in a Company, a group united by a common cause — be it to fight the Enemy, lead a hunt for a prized prey, or scour the land seeking lost or stolen treasure.

The creation of the Company is a procedure that can be used to wrap a character creation session, or that can take place right before the first Adventuring Phase. The players introduce their adventurers and determine the circumstances that brought them together — in general, it is good to assume that the Company has been together for some time already when the game begins. The Loremaster assists the players,
providing suggestions and advice.

To create the Company, the players and the Loremaster must follow the sequence described below:

1. Choose a Patron This has been done for you, aren't I nice? :D
2. Choose a Safe Haven This has kinda been done for you too because I'm so nice :D
3. Determine the Company’s Fellowship rating
4. Choose Fellowship Focuses

Patron

A Company may be brought together by chance or design. If it’s not chance, then the meeting of the Player-heroes might have been directly arranged by one of the Wise and the Great of Middle-earth — their Patron.

A Patron is an influential individual who has taken an interest in the group, and that in the course of the game will offer the Company additional reasons to go adventuring, often providing both support and counsel. All Patrons work with the Player-heroes from time to time, following a personal agenda, but in general hoping to influence the events that are going to shape Middle-earth in the years to come. The Company starts the game choosing one Patron among those listed below (but additional ones may be added in the course of the game).

To select their Patron, the players should check their characteristics, and pick the one whose potential agenda seems more in agreement with their own goals as a group — for example, the list of Callings favoured by a Patron can be used as a good indication of what that individual might ask a Company as a favour or service in the course of play. The identity of the chosen Patron is recorded on the Company log sheet.

As can be seen by consulting the table below, all Patrons may provide a Fellowship Bonus, effectively raising the number of Fellowship points available to the members of the Company, and another peculiar form of advantage, usually connected to the expenditure of Fellowship points (see Fellowship Rating).

Player-heroes gain the opportunity to go and see a Patron when they are in the same place during a Fellowship Phase, choosing the Meet Patron undertaking.


The Safe Haven

The safe haven of the Company is a location that works as the starting base of operations for the group, and as its refuge to repair to for the Fellowship Phase. Usually, it’s the place where the Player-heroes gathered for the first time.

In the course of their exploration of Moria the Company may find new places suitable to be used as safe havens, widening their options.

LONG HAVE I WANDERED BY ROADS FORGOTTEN

Telling the story of how a Player-hero reached the location where the Company first meets is a good way of introducing a character. Such a tale tells the other players where heroes come from, why they left, and possibly something about their abilities and aspirations.

Fellowship Rating

The group of Player-heroes is more than a band of roving mercenaries brought together by mere necessity. At its foundation are communal goals and a mutual respect. This feeling of trust is recreated in the game by the Company’s Fellowship score.

Expressed by a numerical value, Fellowship is a pool of points shared among all Player-heroes that is mainly spent to recover lost confidence: During the Adventuring Phase, Player-heroes can spend points of Fellowship to recover points of Hope when resting,

Additionally, Fellowship can be spent to trigger special effects tied to the Company’s Patron. The starting Fellowship score of the Company is equal to the number of Player-heroes in the group; this value can be augmented by a number of Virtues or Cultural Blessings, and by a bonus associated with the Company’s Patron.

Once calculated, the Company’s Fellowship score is recorded by all players on their character sheets, in the designated space. For every point of Fellowship spent, all Player-heroes must adjust the amount on their character sheet. When all points have been used, the Company cannot spend any more Fellowship. Fellowship points are fully refreshed at the end of each gaming session.

Since Fellowship is a common pool of points shared by all Player-heroes, any expenditure must be agreed upon by all Player-heroes in the Company.

Fellowship Focus

A Company’s Fellowship rating represents the loyalty that adventurers feel towards each other. But some of them might share an additional level of companionship with another member of the Company. Such a bond may be due to the respect felt for someone wiser or nobler, a special friendship shared with an old acquaintance, the kinship shared with a fellow compatriot, the deep affection for a dear family member, or even pity for someone considered to be weak or unfit for adventuring. Each player can choose one member of the Company as their Player-hero’s Fellowship Focus (players can also opt for choosing their Fellowship Focus later, at any point during a game).

Players are free to indicate any other Player-hero as their choice, even one that has already been chosen by someone else. The bond doesn’t have to be mutual: a hero who has been chosen by another hero as a Fellowship Focus is free to choose any other character as their own.

In game terms, Player-heroes provide a greater advantage when they help their Fellowship focus: Player-heroes providing support to their Fellowship Focus make them gain (2d) instead of (1d).

But the benefit of caring for someone comes at a price: Player-heroes gain 1 Shadow point whenever their Fellowship Focus is Wounded, suffers a bout of madness, or is otherwise seriously harmed (this Shadow gain cannot be prevented with a Shadow Test).

EXAMPLE:
As seen in the example for support on page 21, a Hobbit burglar is receiving support from her Barding companion to open a locked Dwarven door. The support action gains the Hobbit a bonus Success die. If the Barding was the burglar’s Fellowship Focus, the Hobbit would gain (2d) instead of (1d).

Experience

Somehow the killing of the giant spider, all alone by himself in the dark without the help of the wizard or the dwarves or of anyone else, made a great difference to Mr Baggins.

Characters in The One Ring change as the game progresses. As they overcome the obstacles that fate presents them and complete the tasks they have set out to accomplish, they find themselves deeply transformed by the experience, much like people in real life.

In game terms, players earn points at the end of each session and at the end of the Adventuring Phase. Then, they spend them during the Fellowship Phase, to improve their adventurers’ abilities or to acquire new ones.

There are two types of Experience points: Skill points, that are spent to acquire new ranks in any Skill, and Adventure points, that are used to improve Combat Proficiencies or gain new ranks in VALOUR or WISDOM.

Skill Points

The capability of heroes to profit from their experiences and hone their abilities as a result is represented in the game by earning and spending Skill points.

Players earn Skill points as follows: All players gain 3 Skill points each at the end of every gaming session they attend.

Finally, during each Yule Fellowship Phase, all players earn a number of additional Skill points equal to their adventurers’ WITS rating.

EXAMPLE: In the last Adventuring Phase, Folco the Hobbit has taken part in 3 gaming sessions, for a total of 9 Skill points. When the next Yule arrives, he will earn 6 additional points — his WITS rating.

Adventure Points

The sense of accomplishment of the Player-heroes, their confidence and skill at arms, and the hard-earned respect paid to them by their peers are represented by the award of Adventure points.

Players earn Adventure points as follows: All players receive 3 Adventure points each at the end of every gaming session they attend.

CHARACTERISTICS

“… you have been chosen, and you must therefore use such strength and heart and wits as you have.”

Heroes reveal themselves through their actions, as their strengths and weaknesses emerge when they are put to the test. They are a diverse folk, each with a unique combination of abilities and traits — some favour their strength and prowess to overcome the threats and difficulties they encounter, some rely on their fortitude and integrity to endure, and others appeal to their reasoning and astuteness to find a solution.

Skills

“There is food in the wild,” said Strider; “berry, root, and herb; and I have some skill as a hunter at need.”

In The One Ring, almost every action heroes can attempt is resolved using a Skill: whether a Player-hero is traversing the land trying to get back home (TRAVEL), running away from a threat (ATHLETICS), or listening intently to an orator’s speech to weigh their words (INSIGHT).

In game terms, Skills and their ratings represent what Player-heroes are able to do and how good they are at doing it. When using a Skill, players roll one Feat die and a number of Success Dice equal to the acting Player-hero’s Skill rank — rolling only one Feat die if a Player-hero is unskilled (rank 0). To succeed, the roll result must match or beat the Attribute TN corresponding to the used Skill.

FAVOURED SKILLS

A number of Skills can be marked as Favoured on a character sheet, checking the box to the left of their name. Favoured Skills highlight those abilities that come most naturally to a Player-hero. All rolls made using a Favoured Skill are Favoured rolls — the acting player rolls two Feat dice, keeping the best result.

Skill Categories

Each Skill belongs to one of three categories, based on which Attribute TN it’s rolled against. For ease of reference, the Skills are organised on a character sheet in three columns placed right under the Attribute box they depend on.

STRENGTH SKILLS

All Skills in this category rely largely on the Player-hero’s physical aptitude. An adventurer with a high STRENGTH score is more likely to be imposing (AWE), to have a clear singing voice (SONG), to be fit and agile (ATHLETICS), to have good sight and hearing (AWARENESS, HUNTING), and to possess skilful hands (CRAFT). STRENGTH Skill rolls are resolved using a Player-hero’s STRENGTH Target Number.

HEART SKILLS

The Skills under this category depend on the Player-hero’s force of spirit more than anything else. An adventurer with a high HEART score may be a charismatic leader (ENHEARTEN, BATTLE), an energetic guide (TRAVEL), a gracious gentleman (COURTESY), be able to read the hearts of others (INSIGHT), or to understand their hurt and how to heal them (HEALING). HEART Skill rolls are resolved using a Player-hero’s HEART Target Number.

WITS SKILLS

A Player-hero’s mental aptitude affects those Skills that rely on quick thinking and creativity. A hero with a high WITS value will quickly learn witty oratory (PERSUADE), the arts of a burglar (STEALTH), show attentiveness (SCAN, EXPLORE), and will be clever and studious (RIDDLE, LORE). WITS Skill rolls are resolved using a Player-hero’s WITS Target Number.

SKILL GROUPS

The 18 Skills can be considered to be categorised together also by affinity into six ‘Skill groups’ of 3 Skills each, with each group being associated with a different type of activity. Players may find this categorisation useful when identifying the right ability to use for a task.

Personality Skills (AWE, ENHEARTEN, PERSUADE). A hero’s personality comes through in their capacity to impress, encourage, and influence others. A good level of proficiency in all three Skills in this group is the mark of a leader.

Movement Skills (ATHLETICS, TRAVEL, STEALTH). Overcoming obstacles, enduring long journeys, and moving secretly are the stuff adventurers are made of.

Perception Skills (AWARENESS, INSIGHT, SCAN). The ability to catch hidden details often pays off, be it noticing an odd noise that gives away an ambusher, catching the gleam in the eyes of a liar, or spotting the crack in the wall that reveals a secret door.

Survival Skills (HUNTING, HEALING, EXPLORE). The three Skills of this group, essential for a roving adventurer, make for an invaluable member of a company.

Custom Skills (SONG, COURTESY, RIDDLE). While heroes are often held to be uncivilised brutes by the common folk, their lives can sometimes depend on knowing the proper words, wisest song, or cleverest answer. Excelling in these Skills is considered a noble achievement.

Vocation Skills (CRAFT, BATTLE, LORE). Before their resolve hardened and pushed them on the road to adventure, adventurers probably led a life much like that of ordinary individuals: learning a trade, defending their people, and absorbing their accumulated wisdom.


Skills List

The 18 Skills cover wide areas of knowledge and ability, enabling players and the Loremaster to resolve most situations encountered during play. The following list presents the Skills in alphabetical order. A brief description is provided, to help players and the Loremaster to identify the type of actions that can be accomplished using each Skill.

ATHLETICS

ATHLETICS is a broad Skill, covering most of the physical activities that a hero might undertake while adventuring, including running, leaping, climbing, and swimming. Heroes with high ATHLETICS Skill scores exhibit a winning combination of physical prowess, grace, and control, generally gained through continuous exercise and daily exertion. A successful ATHLETICS roll produces a satisfactory outcome in the physical activity, while a failed roll might lead to serious harm, depending on the circumstances. A superior result suggests a spectacular achievement.

AWARENESS

The AWARENESS Skill represents a hero’s readiness to react and the ability to notice something unexpected, out of the ordinary, or difficult to detect. A high Skill score reflects both keen senses and the experience to understand what is seen or heard — a high level of watchfulness is extremely useful if a Player-hero serves as a look-out for the Company.

AWE

This Skill measures the capacity to evoke respect in onlookers, and determines the impression the Player-heroes make on someone they meet for the first time. Depending on the circumstances and on the player’s intentions, it can be used to instil wonderment, admiration, or even fear. AWE arises from a hero’s native charisma, but can also be engineered by a dramatic entrance or impressive attire. Successful use of the AWE Skill evokes the chosen effect, while failure can lead to the opposite result. Achieving a superior success means that a hero has won the hearts of the onlookers or cowed them into silent submission.

BATTLE

A rating in this Skill shows a firm grasp of the rules of battle and the capability to maneuver appropriately when involved in a violent confrontation. The BATTLE Skill can be used to gain an advantage when fighting against a group of foes, or leading a company of troops in open battle and maintaining order in the midst of chaos (individual fighting talents are covered by Combat Proficiencies on page 65).

COURTESY

The Free Peoples recognise common norms of decency and ancient conventions of behaviour. Observing these traditions demonstrates respect and is a way of quickly establishing a friendly footing even with complete strangers. Succeeding in a COURTESY roll might mean the Player-heroes know what to say at the right moment to make a good impression with their host, or are mindful of their manners when receiving guests.

CRAFT

The CRAFT Skill doesn’t really cover the whole range of abilities of smiths, wrights, and other artisans, but reflects a talent for making or mending things by hand. CRAFT can be used to repair the wheel of a cart, or construct an improvised raft with wood found on a river shore, or to start a fire on a windy hill. A high CRAFT score may indicate that the Player-hero was a craftsperson before starting a life of adventure. Some Cultures, such as the Dwarves and Noldorin Elves, revere crafts as the highest expression of creativity.

ENHEARTEN

Player-heroes can use the ENHEARTEN Skill to instil positive feelings in others, urging them to act on the matter at hand. They achieve this mainly through example, charisma, and personal conviction, rather than through the effective use of words (which falls under PERSUADE). This Skill can be used on individuals, but is particularly effective in influencing crowds. Player-heroes with high ENHEARTEN ratings can be forceful orators, passionate agitators, and well-loved leaders. A successful ENHEARTEN roll awakens a chosen feeling in the subject, as long as it is not in opposition to their current mood. A superior success is enough to influence wholly disinterested individuals, or turn rivals into supporters.

EXPLORE

Player-heroes rely on the EXPLORE Skill when they move through an unfamiliar area of the Wild. An EXPLORE roll may be required during a journey to find out where the Company is heading, or to get back on track after a detour; to cope with adverse weather conditions or other natural hazards; to create paths through the wilderness suitable for others to follow; or to choose a suitable place to set up camp. A high EXPLORE rating is an invaluable resource if a Player-hero is acting as a scout for the Company.

HEALING

The knowledge of how to relieve pain and apply remedies to restore health to the suffering is an ancient one, and treatments differ from culture to culture. However, almost all traditions agree on the treatment of serious injuries, which must be tended immediately to keep from worsening. The HEALING Skill includes bone setting and the use of herbs or salves, but the outcome relies on the ability of the healer to understand what ails the sufferer and determine what should be done to help them.

HUNTING

Knowing how to hunt is a fundamental skill, shared by most cultures of Middle-earth. A HUNTING roll may be required when pursuing a creature through wild areas, or to follow tracks and identify a quarry by its spoor. The HUNTING Skill also covers preparing traps and the training and use of hunting dogs or birds. In wilder areas, hunters learn to apply their trade to more dangerous quarries — such as Orcs, Spiders, or Wargs — or else risk becoming the prey.

INSIGHT

INSIGHT represents the ability to see beyond appearances and to recognise the hidden thoughts and beliefs of people. INSIGHT does not reveal if someone is lying, but the information it yields can be used to draw useful conclusions about people’s motives. Heroes with a high INSIGHT score are often recognised as being sensible and discerning individuals, and many may seek their counsel. A successful INSIGHT roll provides the Player-heroes with a reliable, but partial, portrait of the person they are observing. A superior success allows them to correctly guess additional details about an individual’s state of mind. INSIGHT tests may be rolled in opposition to an adversary trying to sway or convince a Player-hero of something.

LORE

LORE expresses a love for learning: be it a fascination with descriptions of distant lands or an interest in family genealogy. Whenever an action involves knowledge of some kind, a LORE test is required. Player-heroes are considered to be knowledgeable in the traditions of their own people, and so the Loremaster should rarely require a player to make a LORE roll for information regarding their own character’s Culture, Background, or the area they originally came from.

PERSUADE

This Skill allows the Player-heroes to apply their reasoning to convince other individuals of an idea or course of action. It can be used to influence small groups of listeners, but only if used in an appropriate context, such as a common hall. Persuasion requires more time than other Personality Skills, but can have a more lasting impact on other characters’ actions. A high PERSUADE score denotes an uncommon eloquence, a love of speech and knowledge of its proper use and its effect on listeners. Wise people, advisers to chieftains and kings, and their messengers all share this passion for the spoken word. The successful use of the PERSUADE Skill allows a Player-hero to convince an audience that their current position regarding a matter is flawed. A superior success convinces listeners of the quality of a hero’s stance, and may even turn them into ardent believers.

RIDDLE

Owing its name to the ancient game, the RIDDLE Skill represents the ability to draw conclusions from seemingly unconnected scraps of information by deduction, reasoning, and intuition. Adventurers also rely on RIDDLE whenever they are forced to talk about a subject but prefer to conceal part of what they know; for example, to tell something about themselves without revealing their identity. As an accepted custom among many cultures, speaking in riddles is usually allowed among strangers meeting for the first time and wanting to speak guardedly. This Skill is also used to gain helpful insight from a spoken or written riddle.

SCAN

Player-heroes can use the SCAN Skill when examining something closely or attentively. This Skill allows a Player-hero to skim through a book to locate a piece of relevant information, look for concealed doors or hidden inscriptions, recognise a familiar face in a crowd, or locate a set of tracks on the ground. SCAN rolls are generally initiated by the players rather than the Loremaster. One roll is required for each inspection of a small area, such as a room. AWARENESS, rather than SCAN, is used to see if a hero passively notices something. A successful SCAN roll generally lets Player-heroes find what they are looking for — if it is to be found at all. A superior success usually means the object is found more quickly.

SONG

Hobbits and Men, Elves and Dwarves, even Goblins and maybe Orcs: all creatures of Middle-earth celebrate by playing music and singing songs. Great deeds and grim misfortunes are remembered in verse, and pleasant or comic stories are told to ease spirits and find comfort. The SONG Skill is used to recite poems, sing songs, or play instruments suitable to a character’s Culture. It can also be used to learn new works or create original compositions.

STEALTH

Player-heroes resort to STEALTH whenever they need to act in a furtive or secret way. The Skill includes hiding, moving quietly, and shadowing others. These activities often rely on quickness and precision, so a stealthy Player-hero combines practised caution with the ability to judge the right moment to take a chance. Hunters, burglars, and solitary fighters use STEALTH to prosper in their trade. A successful STEALTH roll indicates that the hero has gone unnoticed, while failure almost certainly attracts unwanted attention. A superior success produces an outcome so flawless that it may even be impossible to notice the deed after the fact.

TRAVEL

In the Third Age, the cities, villages, and towns of Middle-earth are often separated by many leagues of wild or deserted areas. Roads that used to lead safely to distant realms now end in broken trails that go nowhere. Whichever way the Company chooses to go, it will be a long and weary way before they get there. A successful roll of TRAVEL may let a Player-hero estimate the length of a journey, read a map, and even evaluate whether a group of strangers on the road can be approached safely or if they should be left alone instead. A good TRAVEL Skill is an invaluable asset for the Guide of the Company when on a journey.
This message was last edited by the GM at 10:50, Sat 16 Mar.

Combat Proficiencies

Legolas shot two through the throat. Gimli hewed the legs from under another that had sprung up on Balin’s tomb. Boromir and Aragorn slew many.

Adventurers start with a number of Combat Proficiency ratings corresponding to the martial tradition of their Culture of origin. In game terms, Combat Proficiencies express how well Player-heroes conduct themselves when engaged in battle. Rolls made using Combat Proficiencies are resolved as Skill rolls, rolling one Feat Die and a number of Success Dice equal to the rank possessed in the Combat Proficiency used. If you try to use a weapon you don’t possess a rating for (rank 0), you roll only a Feat Die.

Combat Proficiencies are not divided into categories, as they are all rolled against the STRENGTH TN when making Attack rolls. For ease of reference, they are all listed on the character sheet in a column placed right under the STRENGTH box.

Unlike Skills, Combat Proficiencies can never be Favoured, and they can be improved only by spending Adventure points (not Skill points).

Combat Proficiencies List

There are four different Combat Proficiencies in The One Ring: AXES, BOWS, SPEARS, and SWORDS. Each one represents a level of familiarity with a number of weapons of similar kind, allowing a Player-hero to attack using any weapon covered by that specific Proficiency. Descriptions and characteristics of the various weapons corresponding to each Proficiency can be found in the Gear section.

AXES

Axes and other bashing weapons are often preferred to swords by warriors who favour a more brutal approach to fighting. Historically, the axe is the weapon of choice for most Dwarves, and for their folk it surpasses the sword in both nobility and respect. Dwarven weaponsmiths apply their cunning to making axes of many different shapes and uses, and from metals of various colours.

The AXES Combat Proficiency allows a Player-hero to use an axe, a great axe, a long-hafted axe, but also a mattock.

BOWS

A traditional hunting weapon, the bow is also commonly used in warfare. Made from a single piece of wood, or from a composition of wood, horn, or even metal, bows are a versatile weapon. They can be used during sieges, from horseback, in dense woodland, or in the open field. Archers usually carry another weapon to draw when the enemy gets closer; they seldom carry shields, as they can’t use them when shooting a bow.


The BOWS Combat Proficiency enables a Player-hero to make ranged attacks using a bow or a great bow.

SPEARS

The spear is arguably the most widespread weapon across Middle-earth, arming kings and soldiers, riders and infantry. It is often no more than a long wooden shaft, tipped by a leaf-shaped metal head, but some spears are works of majestic artisanship, valuable heirlooms of noble households. The length of a spear varies according to the use it is designed for. Spears can be wielded one or two-handed to thrust and lunge, cast to pierce from a distance, or used from horseback as lances. Warriors equipped with a spear typically use it in conjunction with a shield, and they usually carry an additional weapon, such as a sword or axe.

The SPEARS Combat Proficiency allows a hero to make ranged and close combat attacks using a short spear or a spear, or to fight in close combat using a great spear.

SWORDS

The sword with a straight blade has always been the weapon of choice among free Men and Elves. A mark of nobility or rank, swords of superior make are passed down by generations of warriors, and arms of ancient lineage are often imbued with spells and curses, the bane of the servants of the Shadow. Swords vary in size, shape, and quality as diverse as the folks that craft them. Many malevolent creatures have devised swords after their own fashion, usually crude counterfeits of those made by Men and Elves.

The SWORDS Combat Proficiency enables a Player-hero to attack in close combat using short swords, swords, and long swords.

BRAWLING ATTACKS

Adventurers who must leave behind their trusted weapons may find themselves forced to fight unarmed, or to rely on a simple dagger, or even a thrown stone. When this happens, they rely on their martial training to save themselves.

Player-heroes performing an attack while unarmed, or using a dagger, club, or an improvised weapon, roll a number of dice equal to their highest Combat Proficiency, but suffer a disadvantage: they lose (1d).

Distinctive Features

They are quick of hearing and sharp-eyed, and though they are inclined to be fat and do not hurry unnecessarily, they are nonetheless nimble and deft in their movements.

Distinctive Features describe aspects of an adventurer’s build or temper, personality traits or physical peculiarities that provide them with an additional descriptive level. These features help players to picture their adventurers, and encourage deeper roleplaying.

Players are invited to take into account their heroes’ Distinctive Features throughout the game and to use them as guidelines, in particular when choosing a course of action for their adventurers. Additionally, players can invoke a Distinctive Feature to improve their chances to succeed at a roll using a Skill. When this happens, the Player-hero is considered to be Inspired.

A trait can be invoked on a roll only if, based on its description, it is reasonably plausible for someone with that quality to fare better than an individual without it.

EXAMPLE: One evening at the inn, Folco the Hobbit invites his companions to dance the Springle-ring, a rather vigorous dance, while he sings a song from the Westfarthing. Folco is a Merry fellow, and he chooses to make his SONG roll Inspired — If he spends a point of Hope, he gains (2d) instead of (1d).

A full description for each trait is provided below.

CHANGING A DISTINCTIVE FEATURE

Players who have played the same adventurer for a long time might eventually grow tired of the Distinctive Traits chosen for their Player-hero and feel the need for a change.

Players can replace an old trait with a new one during a Yule Fellowship Phase, by choosing the Recount a Story Undertaking.

Players should always exercise some common sense when they choose the new Distinctive Feature (and the old one being replaced) to avoid completely reinventing their Player-hero.

Distinctive Features List

There are 24 Distinctive Features in The One Ring. Six additional ones are exclusive to Callings, and are described in the relevant section of character creation (see page 44).

BOLD

You trust your capabilities to the point that you are not easily daunted, readily placing yourself in danger.

CUNNING

Your wit is sharp, and you are ready to use it to your advantage.

EAGER

You are filled with excitement and impatience when an endeavour piques your interest.

FAITHFUL

You are steadfastly devoted to those ideals or individuals you have chosen to follow, and your unwavering loyalty often supports you in your deeds.

FAIR

You are considered attractive by most people, even by those not belonging to your folk.

FAIR-SPOKEN

Your speech and manners are naturally pleasant and respectful, and your words rarely provoke offense.

FIERCE

When provoked, or when you deem it necessary, you may allow your savage side to emerge.

GENEROUS

You give with open hands and heart, always mindful of the needs of others.

HONOURABLE

You believe in acting fairly and doing what is morally right.

INQUISITIVE

Your curious nature is easily aroused, often by what is often not your concern. The positive side is that you are not easily deceived by appearances.

KEEN-EYED

The keenness of your eyesight surpasses that of most folk.

LORDLY

Your dignified bearing arouses feelings of reverence and respect in onlookers.

MERRY

Your spirit is not easily discouraged, and you can find light in the darkest of shadows.

PATIENT

You are slow to lose your temper and can suffer fools, delays, or even hardship without complaint.

PROUD

You hold your feats and achievements, or those of your people, in high esteem.

RUSTIC

Your ways are simple, some might say even uncouth, but you know that not all that is gold does necessarily glitter.

SECRETIVE

You do not easily share your thoughts and prefer to conceal your intentions from the eyes of others, especially outsiders to your folk.

STERN

You possess a severe nature and express it in your behaviour, body language, and speech.

SUBTLE

You may not be a Wizard, but often the ways you choose to achieve your goals are crafty, if not devious.

SWIFT

You move swiftly and are quick to take action.

TALL

You tower above most of your folk.

TRUE-HEARTED

You are sincere, and your words and actions show your honest intentions.

WARY

You are always mindful of your surroundings and observant of the speech and behaviour of strangers.

WILFUL

You are firm in temperament and belief, and usually base your actions solely on your own judgement.