Issue 20 January 1998 ISSN: 1081-8359 The International Journal for Middle-earth Gaming I S S U E 20 FROM ENGLAND UNTO EGLAMAR 1 Other Hands ISSUE 20 JANUARY 1998 Editorial: In this Issue A Long-expected party Well folks, here we are at last: Other character and action that invoked and de- Editorial .................................... 2 Hands is five years old!!! Above all, it is a pended upon something more than the time to celebrate —to look back over half a mere mercenary motive that so dominated Digital Hands ............................ 4 decade of role playing in Middle-earth, and the scenarios in many FRP modules. From England unto to bend our gaze forward towards many As the years passed, this divergence grew Eglamar ................................... 5 fun and fulfilling years of gaming to come. into discontent. I needed some outlet for How did OtherHands come to be? Most of these ideas, but found none. In 1987 I ap- The Mystery of the Blessed you have probably read (or have read proached ICE as a prospective author, but Child ........................................ 9 about) the panel discussion and FRP semi- found that the format of the “Ready-to- nar that took place at the Tolkien Centen- Run” modules then in vogue did not permit Product Review ary Conference that inaugurated this en- the scale and geographical mobility my ad- Hands of the Healer .................... 22 deavor back in 1992. But the real story be- venture ideas demanded. Frustrated, I be- gins with my own twelve-year career as a gan sending out inquiries to various gaming Middle-earth gamemaster which preceded journals in hopes of finding one that would that gathering. be interested in publishing Middle-earth My involvement in fantasy role playing material...to no avail. At that time, most C ONTRIBUTORS games began only a few short years after major gaming magazines were fast becom- Fredrik Ekman my discovery of Tolkien at the age of ing parochialized preserves for the “in- house” products of their parent companies. Jeff Erwin eleven. How these two pursuits were finally joined was a lengthy process which I do not Something had to be done. Middle-earth Jasna Martinovic now fully recall, but I do remember very gamers deserved to have their own voice, Olivier Morelle clearly the moment at which my game was and fantasy role playing deserved a legiti- Jason Vester transported to Middle-earth. While running mately recognized niche within the world of one of those old D&D modules, my players Tolkien fandom. In 1990, I wrote a letter to decided they wanted to leave the immediate Tolkien Enterprises, expressing these senti- vicinity of the dungeon they were explor- ments, and seeking some guidance from the EDITING ing. Argh! Every GM’s worst nightmare: people who ultimately controlled the rights moving beyond the edge of the map. Flab- to publications dealing with role playing in Chris Seeman bergasted, 1 reached in desperation for the Middle-earth. Fortuitously, my query was Charles Watteyne only map book I had in my possession, answered: at that time, Tolkien Enterprises none other than Karen Wynn Fonstad's was reviewing ICE’s Middle-earth license, LINGUISTICS Atlas of Middle-earth. The game continued and so were eager to receive feedback from smoothly as I suddenly found it possible to its primary audience. Over the next two David Salo lead my players across an imaginary terrain years, the legal parameters for the existence that was as familiar and real to me as my of Other Hands were defined. The 1992 Cen- PAGEMAKING own backyard. It soon began to dawn on tenary gave further impetus and visibility to me: why merely use Tolkien’s geography to the prospect, and in April of 1993, the first Quentin Westcott situate my games? Why not game in Mid- issue went to press. ARTWORK dle-earth in its own right? The year was Enough history—and enough about me. 1980. What about you all? No, I’m not looking to Bridget Buxton During the course of the next decade, I start up a “my life and MERP” column. I devoted my energies to drawing out the am hoping, however, to gain a more fo- Quentin Westcott implications of that question. I found a rule cused picture of-what you, the subscribers system that appealed to me, and set to of Other Hands, like or dislike about the con- PHOTOGRAPHY adapting its mechanics to what I was then tent and format of this journal, and to this Alan Dep beginning to learn about the world I had end I have contrived a survey for you all to chosen. The appearance of Iron Crown’s fill out and return to me. (I aim to compile MERP modules was welcome fuel for the and present a summary of the results in our NEXT ISSUE undertaking; but I never fully integrated next issue.) EDAIN OF them, as my own gaming style was moving THE SECOND AGE in a different direction from that of MERP. I wanted epic — a grand tapestry of story, 2 Issue 20 January 1998 There are several reasons for holding this rium, Jeff was preparing an ambitious pro- sponsible for the invention of the Snow- survey. First of all, because it would be neat posal for a Lindon realm module (a project elven tongue of The Northern Waste module). to get a sense of who (besides yourself) which I hope he will continue to pursue for We hope to unveil the rules of this dialect reads Other Hands and what their interests publication as an OH supplement). As part in a future issue, as there has long been a are. More importantly though, budgetary of his research on this region, Jeff has need for an accessible linguistic system for and personal financial constraints have delved to the very roots of Tolkien’s vision creating names for Wood-elven characters made it necessary this year to substantially of the westernmost of Middle-earth’s lands, and other proper names in Mirkwood—for raise the subscription cost (which will roots which go back to the foundations of now, let your ears savor the beauty of green NOT, however, affect existing subscrip- his ever-evolving mythology and its sub- Galbrethin, of shadowy Morwatha and of tions) and to normalize the length of each creative relationship to the world as we dark Muristil. issue to 24 pages. This means that the space know it — and, more specifically, to the You may have already noticed the ugly we do have needs to be stuffed as efficiently geography of England. Although Jeff re- guy in the photo on the back cover. That’s as possible with the kinds of material peo- frains from exploring the ramifications of me with some of my gaming group. I ple most want to see. To accomplish this his argument for role playing in Lindon, thought it would be nice for you to be able goal I need your active feedback. they should be apparent to anyone who to put faces onto some the names who have Whatever betide, I think you will not be wants to set their campaign during the made Other Hands (and MERP) what it is disappointed with the offerings for this is- Fourth or later Ages. All in all, a bold and today. Cheers from all of us to all of you... exciting piece of Tolkien scholarship. sue. We are missing a few regular features Chris Seeman this time round. There is no “Frontlines” Jasna Martinovic, who has been a reader March 9, 1998 because there have been no substantially of OH for several issues, now presents his new developments on the horizon since last first major contribution to our journal. His issue. This month’s “Communications” and adventure, set in mid-Third Age Mirk- “Rastarin’s Log” were a bit late in finding wood, has the honor of containing the first their way to us, so they will have to wait specimens of a Silvan dialect currently be- until next issue. But these absences merely ing developed by David Salo (who was re- mean that we have more space to devote to our main attractions for this issue! Jeff Erwin, the author of our title piece, is a newcomer to OH, but no stranger to his subject matter. Just prior to the morato- 3 Other Hands I think it is a safe guess that Tolkien never saw or used a computer. If he had, he no doubt would have thought it one of parts of the story should be manipulable. Sauron’s contraptions. Computers, even in And this is a source for conflict: the de- the 70s, were large, noisy and very un- signer can either decide to make a very friendly to anyone without a degree in sci- flexible design (as with the MUDs or a ence and a couple of years of computing strategy game such as War in Middle Earth, experience. published by Virgin Games under the Mel- However, he liked electric typewriters bourne House label in 1988) in which case (Letters: 344) and I think he would very the story line will certainly not follow the much have enjoyed the word processing plot of the original book, or he or she can DIGITAL capabilities of today’s personal computers. make a very rigid design, of which the Just imagine all the work it would have Spanish game El Señor de las Anillos, Parte 1: saved him when revising The Lord of the La Communidad del Anillo (Libro 1) Rings and The Silmarillion again and again. (shareware game written by Dimas Capar- So in spite of Tolkien’s dislike for ma- rós Gomez in 1991 without a license) is the HANDS chines and other modern inventions—he best example, which results in a dreadfully once said that “Labour-saving machinery boring game.