The first choice the players will have to make is what sort of character they wish to play. Do we want the usual collection of dwarves, elves and men, with the token Hobbit thrown in for novelty and nipping into tight places? Or is something different called for? The GM should have a strong say here; not many GMs are going to want a Noldo warrior who's been around since the mid-Second Age as a starting character, especially if other PCs are men or Hobbits. However, the contrast may be fun to play with.
Anyway, this is where we list the various peoples of Middle-Earth, though, thanks to that world's creator, some of these peoples are better detailed than others.
| The Peoples of Middle-Earth1 | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Elves Noldor Sindar Sylvan Elves & the Avari Peredhil (the Half-Elves) |
Dwarves Hobbits Edain (High Men) Dunedain Mornumenedain Corsairs |
Men (Common Men) Beornings Dorwinrim Dunlendings Easterlings Haradrim Lossoth Men of the West Rohirrim Variags Woodmen |
And now a few points of discussion. the choices available to players is going to be restricted by a number of factors, the foremost being time and place. ICE set they're Middle-Earth circa 1640 in the Third Age, a time period in which the Rohirrim, the Rangers of the North, and modern Hobbits do not yet exist.
However, it should be fairly obvious that their is a much wider range to play with than just this one decade, or within the relatively well described North West of Arda. They just need a little work, that's all
The point, anyway, is that players should sit down with the GM before they start, so that both can be sure what want to play with.
| 1 | Those familiar with MERP may have notice that I've left out the Umli, the 'half-dwarves'. Not without reason, rest assured; the little buggers just couldn't justify themselves to me as a useful waste of time. If I happen to have offended by leaving out someone's favourite snow bunnies, then by all means harrass me about it. You never know, I might just stick them in. |