Gauntlet Inspired: Gaming and Tolkien

The Gauntlet podcast is one of my regular listens during my commute to work and in a recent episode they were talking about gaming, Lord of the Rings and gaming in a canonical setting.

Inspired by this I put together a links to old blog posts all musing about gaming and Tolkien.

The New Shadow

Descendants of Agaron and Arwen, struggling to live up to their ancestors’ legends, punk noble kids in Gondor who have taken their grand-parents’ artifacts from Mordor, dusted it off and made Sauron as suddenly hip.  Yeah, cool kids taking out their eyes, replacing it with dwarf-wrought clockwork glass so their parents do not know that they are worshiping the long dead Lord of the Rings, putting on tusked masks and going out orcing during moonless nights.

Ring Dreams

The first thing we get is the Hobbit RPG. It is an adorable boxed set. You can’t help but pick it up and want to take it home and open it.

When you open it, a Dwarf knocks on your door and another and another until finally there are a passle of dwarves and Gandalf, russling you out the door into a grand adventure.

Ring Worlds

It is fun to think about the various characters who cam into contact with the ring and what a Middle-earth would look like with the One Ring in their clutches:

• Bilbo
• Gandalf
• Elrond
• The Beast Outside Moriah
• Bill the Pony
• The Balrog
• Galadriel
• Boromir
• Faramir
• Shelob

What wonderful villains each of them could be (all except Bill the Pony; we know that Bill is above the Ring’s lure).

Based on the conversation on G+ I’m adding a few more posts about gaming in Westeros:

How we got to Westeros via Burning Wheel

I was pretty sure it was going to be a good night when I explained the situation over dinner and my dad turned to Charles and said, “Brother, I need some dragons; go get me some dragons.”

“I can’t get you dragons…”

“I’m your liege lord and if I say get me dragons, get some some damned dragons.”

And they started bickering over dinner.

“Save it for the game, guys. This is good stuff.”

Our Dances with Dragons

In which the Warden of the North quickly musters banner-men who can answer quickly and sets up camp in Moat Callin. He didn’t have the numbers he could have had but he had speed, aggression and a little bit of surprise at this point.

Visiting Westeros with my Dad

My dad was the Warden of the North, The Lord of Winterfell. His buddy was his bastard brother, the one who was willing to do the bloody deeds his Lord wasn’t willing to do.

I have so many favorite moments that I don’t know where to begin.

https://shopofjudd.threadless.com/designs/mithrandir-the-grey-pilgrim

Elsa and Dark Phoenix

A friend posted an adorable video of his daughter singing Let it Go and it reminded me that I wanted to write this since I saw Frozen. When I saw the iconic scene it immediately reminded me of the Dark Phoenix Saga.

Elsa subverts a common trope in super-powered young ladies: young girl gets power, can’t handle it and you know where this is going:

Hell, Zander even refers to the Dark Phoenix Saga during the Dark Willow Season 6 arc in Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Elsa is an antidote to Dark Phoenix. She let’s teaches little girls that power is dangerous but dammit, with sisterly love and support, they can marshal their ice powers, Cosmic Phoenix Force entity and/or witchcraft and control it. Elsa’s narrative allows her to be a powerful young lady.

Situation Mining: House Mormont

 Inspired by Lyanna Mormont on the later episodes of Season 6, Game of Thrones, I thought I’d do a quick and easy Situation Mining post. Naturally, you don’t have to make this set in Westeros if that squicks you out. It is easy enough to file off the serial numbers.

I like the idea of a young, 2 lifepath character, learning how to lead and getting counsel from a few 4 and 5 LP characters.

Lady Mormont (Lady Mormont Character Sheet)

Write a belief about what kind of great Lady you’d like to grow up to become.

Write a belief about something you’d like to learn.

Write a belief about something childish, something you keep even though you must lead House Mormont.

Notes: You have so much to learn and will do so quickly. Read over the rules on learning new skills and improving stats and skills on pages 40 to 52 in the BWG.

Man-at-arms (Manatarms Character Sheet)

Write a belief about changing yourself from a soldier to a leader of Mormont’s armed forces.

Write a belief about teaching Lady Mormont about war, battle or combat.

Write a belief about getting something you need to conduct war (warhorse or maybe better armor).

Notes: You are a decent warrior but not a good leader and you know it. House Mormont has lost so much following the King in the North and you are all that’s left to lead the Bear Guard. Learn the Command Skill, improve your Strategy and Tactics. Offer to help others in war when you can. Become the general House Mormont needs.

Maester (Maester Character Sheet)

Write a belief about teaching Lady Mormont a skill.

Write a belief about what kind of great leader you’d like to see Lady Mormont become.

Write a belief about creating a treaty or a betrothal to a great northern house to ensure House Mormont’s security.

Notes: Offering helping dice, use your reputations and affiliations to make amazing circles rolls. Send out ravens and teach Lady Mormont. Read over the Instruction rules on pages 50 and 51 of the BWG. Keep track of how much time goes by and make those Instruction tests.

You are the power-house of this group and if House Mormont is to survive, they need you. You don’t have a weapon, nor a weapon skill. Be careful out there. The night is dark and full of terrors…and winter is coming and so on…

https://shopofjudd.threadless.com/designs/what-do-we-say-to-the-god-of-death