READ THIS FIRST IF YOU ARE AN INEXPERIENCED ROLE PLAYER !!!! AN INTRODUCTION TO FANTASY ROLE-PLAYING WHAT'S CONTAINED IN BOXED MERP? ‘The 128-page Rulesbook coacains the complete Middle-earth Role Playing system rules, guidelines for Gamemasters, and a complete Middle-earth adveatice set fa the Trollshaws, ‘This 32-page Introduction/Adventure Book contains an intzodue- ton to Fantasy Role Playing, a solo-adventure, and a beginning adventure with extensive play and design notes. ‘The 16-page Display Book contains a set of playing surfaces for the ‘Adventure in the rulesbook and instructions for using thecardboard characters The Set of Cardboard Characters with Plast Stands includes aplay- ing pice foreach of the characters and creatures in the Adventure in the MERP Ralesbook. Heforeuse, each cardboard character must be ‘cutout and placed in a plastic stand, ‘The Pair of 20.sided Dive is used to generate random numbers for resolving certain situations which oocur during Fantasy Role Playing ‘games (50 the “Picking A Number” section in tis book and Section. IL2of the MERP Rulesbook) CONTENTS BA How Get Sarted with Rok Playing B2 The QuestGiane™ Siem BA A PreCreatedCharacter BA The Gamemaser Playsthe Adventure S The Garnemacer Drecseach Player Through the Adventure B46 Midile-earth Role Paving™ Bo The Adventure ‘A Beginning Muli-Player Adventure MIMS é 1031 B-1 HOWTO GET STARTED WITH ROLE PLAYING Just getting stared often presents a problem for those unfamnilar with the concepts involved in roleplaying games. For anintroduction to these concepts, you shauld read Part I (starts on page 4) of the Middle-earth Role Playing cules book, ‘The material presented here s intended to simplify the process of, Iearning how torole play. I should be usedfyouhave problems with ‘he material presented in Part lof the MERP rules book (otherwise, read Section B-6). This booklet contains a) A very simple set of role playing rules compatible with the standarci MERP rules (Section B-2). by A pre-ereated character that uses these rules (Section B3). ¢) An initial adventure that can be played alone ot with a Gamemaster ection B-7), 4) Another adventure, “The Loons of the Long Fell for a fgroup of players with a Gamemaster (M-I to M-8). Using these components, the following steps are usually the best way fo start learning how t0 role play 1) Inorder to begin a roleplaying game, everyone who wants to pat- ‘cipate mus firs understand how 10 rale play. Everyone should read Part [, pages 4-7, of the MERP rules book. 2) Next, everyone should get together anc decide who is going to be ‘he Gamemaster (GM), everyone else will be the players. The ‘Gamemaster should realize that his or her “role” is that of the creator and referee ofthe game, and that it willrequiremore time and effort than that required of the players 4) The Gamemaster must read and understand the rales (Section 1-2), the OM iscertain that he understand the rulesand can ex- plain them, the players can get by without reading the rules. Using the pre-ceated character (Section B-3), the Gamemaster should play the solo adventure provided in Section B.7. This should help the GM understand the process of directing rote pla ing adventures. Guidelines for thispracessare providedin Section Ba ‘The Gamemaster should then got together with each ofthe players separately. With the player sisumning the role of the pre-created character, the Gamemaster chen directs the player through the solo adventure, Thisserves 1wo purposes: it shows the player how te play the game, and it gives the Gamemaster Some practice in directing an adventure 6) ACthis point the Camemaster and the players are ready o begin playingand using the standard Middle-earth Role Playing system. Follow the suggestions given in Section 1.1 on page 8 af the MERP tules book. ‘Theadventure in M-1 to M Bis designed toaliow the Gamemaster {to practice running a game using the MERP rules with a group of chatacters, NOTE: These steps involve understanding the rules and ‘guidelines which direct a role playing game. The Game: rmasier and players should also realize that much of the fan and excitemeni im role playing comes from the personalinter ‘action between the players as they take on the roles of their characters and bring them to life. 9 58-2 THE QUESTGAME™ SYSTEM ‘The rules and guidelines presented in this section are drawn from the QuestGame system uscd for solo adventure games. These ab- bbreviated rules provide an introduction to the more complicated but similar rules found inthe main MERP cules book. These rules arc in- tended to be used with The Adventure provided in Section B-7. At ceriain points a NOTE provides comments on how certain rules apply to non solo role playing, ‘THE ADVENTURE TEXT ‘The text in Section B-7 describes hazards, situations, and locations ‘that may be encountered during The Adventure, The texts divided into separate “text sections". As you read the tex secions, choices vill be given as to what actions your character may take. Each text section is labeled by a three-digit number (eg., entry 223"). As you read cach text section, you will be told which text sec~ ton to read next. The order in which you reed the text sections will eperid on the directions in the text, the actions you choose, and. whether the actions you atterapt succeed or fail. The (ext will direct yous “movement” through the countryside. Ie can be very useful for you to keep track of what you encounter and where you g0 (.e., you should map and record your path of travel) NOTE: /n The Adventure, the text serves as the “Gamo ‘master”. Ic provides descriptions of the places, hazards, ard! Situations that the “Player” encounters. It gives the Player ‘choices to make, andit hops io determine the retults of those choices, The text also provides a mechanism Sor Keeping track of details like damage token, time, and experience ‘points, chores normally handled by the Gamemaster in a ‘nom solo role playing game, PICKING A NUMBER Many times during your adventures inthis book you will need 10 ick a murnber (between 2 and 12) in order to determine what hap- pens. You can roll two six-sided dice if you have them. Ifyou have the boxed version of MERP, roi the two dice provided. Reroll each die that has a result of 0, 7, 8, 09, (Le., both dice mus! give a number ‘between | and 6). Add the two results and that sum is the number which you have picked. Often you will be instructed to pick « number and add a “bors” When this happens, treat results of more than 12 as "12 and treat results of less than 2 as "2". NOTE: Picking random aumbers usually by rolling dice) sa ‘crucial element of role playing: it introduces uncertainty, ‘hance, and excitement to mos situations. In MERP, dice are rolied to give results between | and 100, an easily under- stood percentile scale. The Quest Game System CHARACTER BONUSES Jn many situations, you are instructed to Pick a number and add your ~~ ~~ bonus. For The Adventure, these bonuses are given in bold in the “Total Bonus” column on the Character Record for the re-created character (Section B-3) NOTE: In a role playing game, a character's “bonuses” reflect how well certain actions are performed. In certain situations, when a characteris trying to dosomething, aran- dom number representing chance ill be modified by one of 1 character's bonuses, This means that the character has @ better chance of accomplishing this action. Thus the char- acters skils and abilities are represented in the rules by the character's “bonuses”. Many factors go into determining « characier’s bonuses: Skil, physical ond mental eutribules, race, equipment, ete. These factors are not discussed here because The Adventure uses a pre-created character. How: ever, MERP has a complete character creation/generation system: DAMAGE AND HEALING As you adventure, you will ake damage from fights, craps falls, etc. You must keep track ofthis damage in terms of atotal amount of daraage taken (record the ‘oral in the damage taken space on your Character Record), Only your damage taken total chenges during play; your Endurance does not change. your damaze taken enceeds your Endurance (see your Character Record), Sou are unconscious, [this ozcurs during a fight, you are defeated and must proceed asthe text indicates. Otherwise, you te- ‘main unconscious uatil you heal enough so that your damage taken drops below your Endurance. Ifthe text indicates that you wake up after a fight, reduce your damage taken to equal your Endurance. Each time you read a section of text that does not require you to pilek a nuraber or fight, you may reduce your demage taken by 3 for ‘each hour you spend “resting”. At night, if you rest and eat a meal (see above), you may reduce your damage raken by 15. NOTE: Taking demage during and venture isoftena reflec. don of the success or failure of a partiewlar action. The possiblity of taking damage or *dying” creeies the danger ‘end thus the excitement inherent in most roleplaying situa. tions. EQUIPMENT ‘Whenever you acquire money and equipment, record them on your Character Record in the spaces provided. Silver pieces are “money” and may be used during your adventures 10 pay for Tood, lodging, transpor, bribes, etc. The effects of equipment will bein. dicated inthe text. You may oaly wear I suit of armor, 1 daxger (on belt), 1 cloak, 1 backpack, and | belt and pouch. Inaddition, you may earry anumber of pieces of equipment equal to your Serongth stat; this total may include a maximum of 3 weapons. Ifyou lose your backpack, this number ie reduced by half (round up), and you lose any excess equipment along with the backpack NOTE: As plavers adventure they can acquire and ac- ‘cumulate money and equipment, which may increase ‘bites and options available 10 the player. The linis on equipment, affects of equipment, and costs of equipmentare very important faccors ina role playing system. Money and equipment also act as some ofthe primary goals and rewards forthe players.The Quest Game System FIGHTING Fightingconsists of a series of “rounds”. Duringeach “round”, you attack your opponent or you attempt to flee and your opponent tacks vou, If you choose to fight an opponent or the tex indicates that you rust fight the combat is resolved inthe following fashion: 1) You attack your opponent and then heattacks you (see below foe hhowto“attack”). Ifyou are surprised, reverse the order of combat forthe rest of the combat 2) Repeat step 1, around ofthe fight, uatilone of the following con- ditions occur: a) One of you is hile (a “K” result on the Combat Table). ) One of you has more damage taken than Endurance. That ‘combatant is uaconscious and is defeated ©) Atthe beginning of any roundof combat, youmay elect not to attack for that round. After your opponem makes his attack for that round, you may attempt to Run Away. You must then Pick a Number end add your Running bonus: + 12-7, you areunsuccessfui, you are still engaged end must begin another round of the fight. (However, you may at- temp to run away agai + 178-12, youare successful, the fightonds and you follow the rex insinuctions: Altera fight, the text will ndicare what you are to do. Process for Resolving An Attack: NOTE: An attack occurs as indicated above in sep 1) wider ‘Fighting’ The ‘Atiecker'ts rhe one who ts atiacking and the ‘ome being attacked is the defender. 1) Subtract the defender's Defensive Bonus (DB) from the attacker's Melee Offensive Bonus (OB) and pick a number. 2) Using the Combat ‘Table (see below), cross-index the number picked (in the vertical row on the eft side of the able) and the di Terence between the OB and the DB (in the horizontal column at the top of the table), 3) The result isthe ammount of damage that the defender takes that ound (increase his damage caken by that amount). The special results *U” and “K” end the combat immediately with the defender being knocked out (U, Unconscious) or more rarely, Killed (K) NOTE: Fighting ix one of the most common sources of con Mlictand danger inrole playing, In most systems, combatants {ake turns attacking one another. An attack consists of using ‘arundom number (for the element of chance), the attacker's ‘combat abilities, andthe defender'scombat abilities to deler- ‘mine how muchand what kind of damage he defender takes. TIME Passage of time will be abbreviated at the beginning of each text section at Time: 8, where #is the number of minutes. As you read cach tex! section, add this amount ro your time total ‘The Adventure assumes that the player is only active during the {daytime and tha the player rests at night. Nighttime starts when your ‘ime total reaches 13 + hours (780+ minutes) and you read section ff text that does not require you to pick a number or fight. At this point, you must rst: mark down that I day has passed and restart your time total to 0. You must also “eat 2 meal” (mark one meal used on your character record). Ifyou do not have armeal, you ‘may not heal any damage that night and you must increase your damage ‘aken by 5, Afterall this is done, proceed normally. NOTE: Time ts 0 g00d example of one of the factors tha! the Gamertaster must keep track of in order to accurately pre- sent the physical seting of the role playing game to the players. COMBAT TABLE ‘Number _ Attacker’s OB Minus Defender’s DB * Picked +5 +4 +3: +2410 -1 203 4 2 0000000000 3 Decal eR OTOP OPS ORO) 4 $09, 2 Dee Wiz 0.102050 5 ORISSA CSS RE OLD 6 WS Oe 82 Aa a NO 20a O 7 SEI ASAE SIE & SECA SE RO ae ow UD SB SLT ANG EAI 10 Use 8) ESTE OE Si eAond ub RAR ML LS TS 2 IKK Kk sO UU Us *TFOB — DB difference is greater than +5, add the cx- ‘cess to the number picked; if the difference is less than -4, treat it as -4. Results: # = A oumber result indicates the amount of damage taken; if the total damage taken exceeds the com- batant’s endurance point total, the character is un- conscious. U = Unconscious (knocked out), wounded, and out of action; see text for results K = Killed. CASTING SPELLS. ‘Before you start to play The Adventure, choote one ofthe spells. described below. Record this spell on the pre-reated Character Record; you *know” that spell and may cast it during play. If you want to cast ihe spell, plck a number and add your Magical bonus. Ifthe resultis more than6, the spell hasbeen successfullycast. (Refer to the spell description for the effects.) Otherwise, the spell has ne effect Each time you successfully cast the spell, your damage ‘ekenisin- creased by the number given in parentheses in the spell desctipcion, ‘This reflects the steain of casting spells, Spell Descriptions 1) Balance (2): Increases your General bonus by +2 for one activity {o beattempted atthe current text section. 2) Camouflage (3): For the purposes of one action, this tpell in- creases your Trickery bonus by +2. 13) Clairvoyance (5): When given a choice of two or more tent sce- tions to read, you may read 1wo of them and then proceed t0 whichever one you want 4) Healing 0): Reduces the amount of time requited to heal 3 points ‘of damage from 60 minutes to 20 minutes. Using this spell and then resting for a “night” heals all damage 5) Luck (5): When you cast this spell just after you have picked a ‘number, you may ignore the number picked and pick « number again. NOTE: Magic and spells add much of the flavor and deiil people expect from fantasy role playing. They provide the clement af mystique ond interest which so richly flavors the works of J-R.R. Tolkien.