# D & D on the Straight Dope setup thread. (In Middle Earth FA63) **URL:** \ **Category:** Thread Games\ **Tags:** middle-earth-game\ **Created:** [February 26, 2008, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/d-d-on-the-straight-dope-setup-thread-in-middle-earth-fa63/439276 "2008-02-26T20:17:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 21
**Author:** ![MHaye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bbe5ce/32.png) [@MHaye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MHaye)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2008, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/d-d-on-the-straight-dope-setup-thread-in-middle-earth-fa63/439276/401 "2008-03-20T16:22:25Z")
[QUOTE=Malacandra] Heh. I lately got into _Order of the Stick_. Are you familiar with the “Polearm Shop” episode? 😃 [/QUOTE] Roy : If I had a weapon, I would now stab you. Shopkeeper : Yes sir, the irony is truly staggering. 🆒 Do you happen to remember which episode has V’s familair turn up and when it flies out to scout is shot at by a hobgoblin army? Oh, and there’s always “Craft Disturbing Mental Image.” If you don’t know what I mean, you have a real treat coming. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2008, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/d-d-on-the-straight-dope-setup-thread-in-middle-earth-fa63/439276/402 "2008-03-20T16:42:15Z")
[QUOTE=Malacandra] I have been thinking I ought to start up yet another one of my own, possibly Viking-themed. I’ll post a setup thread in due course. 🙂 [/quote] I’ll have to think how to sneak on there, given I’m already playing / DMing in the current threads. How about ‘DM’s always get a place!’? I should point out that I am an ‘authority’ on Vikings because: - I have visited the Viking Jorvik exhibit at York - I have watched [a documentary on the Vikings](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0052365/) - I have the complete CD set of Viking Quest, autographed by Johnny Drama himself … “Victory!” [QUOTE=glee] cheese shop [/quote] [QUOTE=Malacandra] Heh. I lately got into _Order of the Stick_. Are you familiar with the “Polearm Shop” episode? 😃 [/QUOTE] No, sorry. :o Also I’m afraid the pupil just wanted to open a cheese shop. ☹ Of course I thought there would be difficulty with supplies (“Have you got any Brie?” “Sorry, Sir, none at all.” “Stilton?” “No Sir.”) ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2008, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/d-d-on-the-straight-dope-setup-thread-in-middle-earth-fa63/439276/403 "2008-03-20T17:21:46Z")
[QUOTE=Malacandra] I have been thinking I ought to start up yet another one of my own, possibly Viking-themed. I’ll post a setup thread in due course. 🙂 [/QUOTE] Hey, I’ll play that. Sounds excellent. ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2008, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/d-d-on-the-straight-dope-setup-thread-in-middle-earth-fa63/439276/404 "2008-03-20T17:23:00Z")
[QUOTE=glee] I’ll have to think how to sneak on there, given I’m already playing / DMing in the current threads. How about ‘DM’s always get a place!’? I should point out that I am an ‘authority’ on Vikings because: - I have visited the Viking Jorvik exhibit at York - I have watched [a documentary on the Vikings](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0052365/) - I have the complete CD set of Viking Quest, autographed by Johnny Drama himself … “Victory!” No, sorry. :o Also I’m afraid the pupil just wanted to open a cheese shop. ☹ Of course I thought there would be difficulty with supplies (“Have you got any Brie?” “Sorry, Sir, none at all.” “Stilton?” “No Sir.”) [/QUOTE] Glee, if you aren’t familiar with OOtS…you should be. [Linky to the fist strip](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0001.html) It only gets better from there (around strip 50 it really takes off.) ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2008, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/d-d-on-the-straight-dope-setup-thread-in-middle-earth-fa63/439276/405 "2008-03-20T17:37:23Z")
[QUOTE=glee] …Of course I thought there would be difficulty with supplies (“Have you got any Brie?” “Sorry, Sir, none at all.” “Stilton?” “No Sir.”) [/QUOTE] I could go for a bite of Venezuelan Beaver Cheese myself right now. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2008, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/d-d-on-the-straight-dope-setup-thread-in-middle-earth-fa63/439276/406 "2008-03-20T17:48:53Z")
[QUOTE=Elendil’s Heir] I could go for a bite of Venezuelan Beaver Cheese myself right now. [/QUOTE] I actually have some Wensleydale at home in my fridge. It is an excellent cheese. Delicious Orchards imports it from Ford Farm in Dorset, England. Apparently it is not the best Wensleydale, but it is what I can get. It is still very good. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2008, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/d-d-on-the-straight-dope-setup-thread-in-middle-earth-fa63/439276/407 "2008-03-20T17:53:27Z")
[QUOTE=What Exit?] I actually have some Wensleydale at home in my fridge. It is an excellent cheese. Delicious Orchards imports it from Ford Farm in Dorset, England. Apparently it is not the best Wensleydale, but it is what I can get. It is still very good. Jim [/QUOTE] I’ve had Wensleydale, and it didn’t really float my boat (although I appreciate both the Python and the Wallace & Gromit connections). I actually ordered some Stinking Bishop cheese from a gourmet website last summer, just to say I’d had it. It was stinky but not _that_ stinky, and rather expensive, with a taste I’d just as soon forget. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2008, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/d-d-on-the-straight-dope-setup-thread-in-middle-earth-fa63/439276/408 "2008-03-20T18:17:17Z")
Oakham Market (Wednesdays + Saturdays) has a cheese stall. I like the Stilton with apricots in particular. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2008, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/d-d-on-the-straight-dope-setup-thread-in-middle-earth-fa63/439276/409 "2008-03-20T18:19:26Z")
[QUOTE=NAF1138] Glee, if you aren’t familiar with OOtS…you should be. [Linky to the fist strip](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0001.html) It only gets better from there (around strip 50 it really takes off.) [/QUOTE] I really hope you mean **first strip**. :eek: I am a respectable teacher, you know… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2008, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/d-d-on-the-straight-dope-setup-thread-in-middle-earth-fa63/439276/410 "2008-03-20T18:21:41Z")
[QUOTE=glee] I really hope you mean **first strip**. :eek: I am a respectable teacher, you know… 😃 [/QUOTE] First/fist the lines really get a bit blurry at times. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2008, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/d-d-on-the-straight-dope-setup-thread-in-middle-earth-fa63/439276/411 "2008-03-20T18:27:52Z")
[QUOTE=Elendil’s Heir] I’ve had Wensleydale, and it didn’t really float my boat (although I appreciate both the Python and the Wallace & Gromit connections). I actually ordered some Stinking Bishop cheese from a gourmet website last summer, just to say I’d had it. It was stinky but not _that_ stinky, and rather expensive, with a taste I’d just as soon forget. [/QUOTE] We keep this up and we will lure \*\*QtM \*\* back in, he is a sucker for cheese threads. 😉 I really like Wensleydale, I’ve tried a lot of cheeses, the aged smoked cheddar from Howe Caverns is probably the best cheddar I have had. It is hard to get though. A good smoked Gouda is something I really enjoy. I have not had Stinking Bishop, it did not sound like one I would enjoy. The Venezuelan Beaver Cheese is worse than Yak cheese\*. - yes that last one was a joke\<---- ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2008, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/d-d-on-the-straight-dope-setup-thread-in-middle-earth-fa63/439276/412 "2008-03-20T20:49:34Z")
[QUOTE=NAF1138] Glee, if you aren’t familiar with OOtS…you should be. [Linky to the fist strip](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0001.html) It only gets better from there (around strip 50 it really takes off.) [/QUOTE] The polearm episode works on several levels - both as a take-off of the Python sketch and as a lampoon on the truly amazing variety of polearms to be found in 1e AD&D (most of them with not much to be said for them). I am, however, sad enough to remember which polearm in the PH has no bonuses or penalties against any armour type at all. It’s the partisan (an unprepossessing weapon by any other metric). I’ll put some more thought into the Vikings campaign and post soon. The basic premise will be a long sea voyage for the good health of one of the characters - I’ll need a volunteer to play him. Call me a railroader but it’ll do as a campaign setup. 🙂 There will be an assortment of special rules for most character classes, and not much call for demi-humans although I’d be prepared to listen to a _really_ good justification. ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2008, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/d-d-on-the-straight-dope-setup-thread-in-middle-earth-fa63/439276/413 "2008-03-20T21:50:27Z")
[QUOTE=Malacandra] I’ll put some more thought into the Vikings campaign and post soon. The basic premise will be a long sea voyage for the good health of one of the characters - I’ll need a volunteer to play him. Call me a railroader but it’ll do as a campaign setup. 🙂 There will be an assortment of special rules for most character classes, and not much call for demi-humans although I’d be prepared to listen to a _really_ good justification. [/QUOTE] I’ll volunteer- growing up I was sickly and weaker than my companions, leading me into a closer communion with nature and contributing to my career choice as a Druid. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2008, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/d-d-on-the-straight-dope-setup-thread-in-middle-earth-fa63/439276/414 "2008-03-20T22:36:29Z")
[QUOTE=Malacandra] The polearm episode works on several levels - both as a take-off of the Python sketch and as a lampoon on the truly amazing variety of polearms to be found in 1e AD&D (most of them with not much to be said for them). I am, however, sad enough to remember which polearm in the PH has no bonuses or penalties against any armour type at all. It’s the partisan (an unprepossessing weapon by any other metric). I’ll put some more thought into the Vikings campaign and post soon. The basic premise will be a long sea voyage for the good health of one of the characters - I’ll need a volunteer to play him. Call me a railroader but it’ll do as a campaign setup. 🙂 There will be an assortment of special rules for most character classes, and not much call for demi-humans although I’d be prepared to listen to a _really_ good justification. [/QUOTE] Ah, who could forget Unearthed Arcana, Appendix T: The Nomenclature of Pole Arms. :rolleyes: 6 packed pages, with full illustrations. 8 different lengths of spear - **all drawn to scale** :smack: “At first glance, a Bec de Corbin might be mistaken for a Lucern Hammer…” - just the sort of thing to bring new players flooding in to our game. :eek: Runner-up in the ‘least weapon v AC adjustments’ competition … Bill-Guisarme! Just +5% v leather spoils the succession of nil adjustments. I can play human, Mr DM! (It would make a change from a 4 foot 6 inch Wose!) Of course as a respectable teacher, I can only offer to pillage… ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2008, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/d-d-on-the-straight-dope-setup-thread-in-middle-earth-fa63/439276/415 "2008-03-21T01:02:34Z")
**Malacandra** , I’ll sign up as an alternate. I would like to let others get involve in our gaming groups but if you need a player, I would be happy to play. This way I can also fill whatever need you have of a player if it comes to it. Knowing you writing, it should be fun just reading the setup and transitions in your game. Jim ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2008, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/d-d-on-the-straight-dope-setup-thread-in-middle-earth-fa63/439276/416 "2008-03-21T04:11:54Z")
I owe you all thanks for recommending “OoTS” and “DM of the Rings”- I had a long flight delay on a slow computer. Excellent! ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2008, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/d-d-on-the-straight-dope-setup-thread-in-middle-earth-fa63/439276/417 "2008-03-21T09:57:41Z")
[QUOTE=appleciders] I’ll volunteer- growing up I was sickly and weaker than my companions, leading me into a closer communion with nature and contributing to my career choice as a Druid. [/QUOTE] I wasn’t planning on including Druids as PCs, but we can say that you are an outlander - perhaps a Welsh or Irish druid picked up on a far-ranging raid, who either had reasons for wanting to ship out or was taken prisoner and has gradually been working his way out of thralldom. Alternatively, would you consider being a wizard or a rune-priest? They’re acceptable career choices for the less sturdy Viking, and it means we don’t have to start finding exceptions to the rules as soon as we start. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2008, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/d-d-on-the-straight-dope-setup-thread-in-middle-earth-fa63/439276/418 "2008-03-21T12:46:27Z")
[QUOTE=Malacandra] I wasn’t planning on including Druids as PCs, but we can say that you are an outlander - perhaps a Welsh or Irish druid picked up on a far-ranging raid, who either had reasons for wanting to ship out or was taken prisoner and has gradually been working his way out of thralldom. Alternatively, would you consider being a wizard or a rune-priest? They’re acceptable career choices for the less sturdy Viking, and it means we don’t have to start finding exceptions to the rules as soon as we start. 🙂 [/QUOTE] Alweady I am wegistering a wefewence to wegistewing as Wodewick the wascally wogue - why he would make a weally wonderful wune-pwiest! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2008, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/d-d-on-the-straight-dope-setup-thread-in-middle-earth-fa63/439276/419 "2008-03-21T15:57:54Z")
Hey everyone, I will be out of town from this Saturday to next Saturday, and my internet access will be spotty-to-nonexistent. Seeing how **Theogrim** doesn’t talk much, and seems to spend most battles standing next to **Gwaelur** and **Thoroncir** , I was wondering if my fighting brethren would mind helping me out in my absence. As always, my goals are to support the party strategy, to kill **kill** kill, and to make sure **Deor** isn’t put into any more danger than is necessary for the aforementioned strategy. Would that be OK? ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2008, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/d-d-on-the-straight-dope-setup-thread-in-middle-earth-fa63/439276/420 "2008-03-21T15:59:47Z")
[QUOTE=OneCentStamp] Hey everyone, I will be out of town from this Saturday to next Saturday, and my internet access will be spotty-to-nonexistent. Seeing how **Theogrim** doesn’t talk much, and seems to spend most battles standing next to **Gwaelur** and **Thoroncir** , I was wondering if my fighting brethren would mind helping me out in my absence. As always, my goals are to support the party strategy, to kill **kill** kill, and to make sure **Deor** isn’t put into any more danger than is necessary for the aforementioned strategy. Would that be OK? [/QUOTE] Sure thing. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/d-d-on-the-straight-dope-setup-thread-in-middle-earth-fa63/439276.md?page=20) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/d-d-on-the-straight-dope-setup-thread-in-middle-earth-fa63/439276.md?page=22)