[QUOTE=Malacandra]
(Looks like Finnish impact on Quenya there - kantele, anyone?)
[/QUOTE]
If I remember my reading of JRRT’s biography correctly, the primary inspiration for Quenya was Finnish.
[QUOTE=What Exit?]
Glee, I am happy you are a 1st Ed player. As a Druid you will have far more spells than the Mage. Do you own Unearthed Arcana? I allow some spells from there.
[/quote]
The Druid will not only be fun to play, but I knew there would be more spells (and I get higher level ones quickly too!). Of course every party needs a healer.
I do indeed have Unearthed Arcana. 
From there I hope I can use these:
1st level Ceremony, Detect Poison
2nd level Flame Blade, Goodberry, Reflecting Pool*, Slow Poison
*My group think this is too low level compared to the MU equivalent…
I expect to get at 3rd level 31st, 22nd, 1*3rd level spells, plus Wisdom bonuses.
Typical spells considered for adventuring:
1st: Speak Animals, Detect Magic, Animal Friendship, Entangle, Faerie Fire
2nd: Cure Light Wounds, Goodberry, Flame Blade, Heat Metal, Charm Person or Mammal
3rd: Summon Insects, Call Lightning
[QUOTE=What Exit?]
Herbology is mostly about healing, though in your case it might also be about blow dart additives.
[/quote]
Perfect.
[QUOTE=What Exit?]
Beginning of the Primer
I roll a random special ability for each character. I have my own chart that I use.
I will determine starting money and base items. Each of you will have at least one magic item of some sort.
I will send out Stats and Hit Points.
I will provide typical height and weight ranges and life expectancies.
You will each have a secondary ability. Most of these are pretty much determined.
Proficiency Table I use:
Class, Starting Weapon Proficiencies, Non Proficiency Weapon use penalty & what level you get your next Proficiency. Note: if 1/3, you get it at 3rd.
Class… | S |Non|Next
Cleric… | 2 | -3 | 1/4|
Druid… | 2 | -4 | 1/5| (1@14th)
Fight… | 4 | -2 | 1/3|
Paladin. | 3 | -2 | 1/3|
Ranger. | 3 | -2 | 1/3|
Wizard. | 1 | -5 | 1/6|
Illusion. | 1 | -5 | 1/6|
Thief… | 2 | -3 | 1/4|
Bard…| * | -2 | 1/5|
**Proficiency groups: **
Xbow: all cross bows
Elf Bow: specific to rapid firing special Elven Bow.
Bows: Short, Long & Composition Bows.
Sword: Long & Short
Blades: Short Sword, Dagger & Parry Blade
2 handed: 2H & Bastard
Axe: Battle, Great & Dwarven
Small Axe: Throw or fight with Hand Axe
Lances: All Lances
Spears: Spears, Javelins & Pikes
Poleaxe: Poleaxe, Halberd, Voulge, Bardiche
Maces: Maces & Morning Star
Flails: Infantry or Horse
Darts: Darts & throwing knives.
Dagger: Throw or Melee
[/QUOTE]
I assume blowpipe is a special!
Also you give proficiencies earlier than I do (not a problem!).
Are you happy with me puttiing all this on the thread, or would you like an e-mail about my character?
[QUOTE=appleciders]
Also, it seems like there’s some character choices to make by specializing, so when you’re picking out my starting spells, I’d like to specialize in Evocation, forgoing Necromancy (I’m no goody two-shoes, but you have to draw the line somewhere) and Abjuration (Magic walls? I got into this for the flash-and-dazzle, not some boring barriers!)
[/QUOTE]
There’s no MU specialisation in 1st Edition (but I don’t know the MERP rules that What Exit? is using).
[QUOTE=MHaye]
If I remember my reading of JRRT’s biography correctly, the primary inspiration for Quenya was Finnish.
[/QUOTE]
I’m sure you do remember correctly - I was just amused to see the root word so recognisable. (Which wasn’t going to be that easy, as I don’t speak Finnish.)
glee is totally going to kick butt. I’ll just have to avoid hand to hand like the plague, what with being functionally indistinguishable from a fighter/thief for many levels to come. 
Bow wouldn’t normally be a bard weapon, of course, but whoever heard of a Sindar using a sling?
A favor please: Everyone playing, send me an Email. It will save me a little Time. D_Odds & Elendil’s Heir already have.
[QUOTE=glee]
I do indeed have Unearthed Arcana.
From there I hope I can use these:
1st level Ceremony, Detect Poison
2nd level Flame Blade, Goodberry, Reflecting Pool*, Slow Poison
*My group think this is too low level compared to the MU equivalent…
I expect to get at 3rd level 31st, 22nd, 1*3rd level spells, plus Wisdom bonuses.
Typical spells considered for adventuring:
1st: Speak Animals, Detect Magic, Animal Friendship, Entangle, Faerie Fire
2nd: Cure Light Wounds, Goodberry, Flame Blade, Heat Metal, Charm Person or Mammal
3rd: Summon Insects, Call Lightning
Perfect.
I assume blowpipe is a special!
Also you give proficiencies earlier than I do (not a problem!).
Are you happy with me puttiing all this on the thread, or would you like an e-mail about my character?
[/QUOTE]
Your spells from Arcana are all ones I allow.
Thanks for the spell list, post, PM or Email all work.
Blowpipe is a special.
[QUOTE=glee]
There’s no MU specialisation in 1st Edition (but I don’t know the MERP rules that What Exit? is using).
[/QUOTE]
No spell specialization from the start. A Wizard with a staff does end up specialized in a group or class of spells. Examples would be Fire Spells or Detection spells or Dispelling Magic.
[QUOTE=Malacandra]
glee is totally going to kick butt. I’ll just have to avoid hand to hand like the plague, what with being functionally indistinguishable from a fighter/thief for many levels to come.
Bow wouldn’t normally be a bard weapon, of course, but whoever heard of a Sindar using a sling?
[/QUOTE]
Bow is a standard Bardic weapon in my game, their is even a synergy between Bow and Harp. The Bards are fairly Celtic or Welsh in nature, so I have always allowed bow. Sling is a Hobbit weapon in my mind. 
As to HtoH combat, I was expecting you to mix that and bowing. That was why I suggested the dual weapons.
Jim
Things are shaping up very nicely indeed! This is gonna be fun. I don’t think I specified it, What Exit?, but Thoroncir’s skill would be with a longsword, not a short.
[QUOTE=What Exit?]
Dwarves and Knights of Gondor and Rohan typically have the toughest armor. Rangers tend to Chain Mail and hope to get the well made Elven Chain that is strangely enough typically built by Dwarves instead. There is a long story behind this.
[/QUOTE]
Well, maybe those Rangers of the North or them Elven Ranger types can get that fancy Westernesse or Elven chain, but us simple men of Dale have to make do with whatever hides we can get and treat. Besides, if I’m tracking a goblin camp, last thing I want is some metal clinking, giving away my position. Chainmail is nice when you know ahead of time you are going into a fight, but for everyday purposes, the scout will stick with his leathers. - Brin
[QUOTE=What Exit?]
Bow is a standard Bardic weapon in my game, their is even a synergy between Bow and Harp. The Bards are fairly Celtic or Welsh in nature, so I have always allowed bow. Sling is a Hobbit weapon in my mind.
As to HtoH combat, I was expecting you to mix that and bowing. That was why I suggested the dual weapons.
Jim
[/QUOTE]
Understood, and Gil-Gandel will cause a fair bit of grief with those two weapons, but on F/Th hit points and armour he won’t do it for long, so he’ll have to pick a time and a place; nor, I expect, will he have quite the muscle of one or two of those others.
Having a quick look through the party, we have three fighters and a ranger who should be much better hand to hand artists, and taking experience tables and so on into account the druid and the burrahobbit won’t be appreciably worse. Archery is where GG is going to shine, so I’ll have to take a metric assload of arrow-points with me and spend a lot of time fletching. (That came out as “feltching”, but I don’t think we want to go there.)
[QUOTE=D_Odds]
Well, maybe those Rangers of the North or them Elven Ranger types can get that fancy Westernesse or Elven chain, but us simple men of Dale have to make do with whatever hides we can get and treat. Besides, if I’m tracking a goblin camp, last thing I want is some metal clinking, giving away my position. Chainmail is nice when you know ahead of time you are going into a fight, but for everyday purposes, the scout will stick with his leathers. - Brin
[/QUOTE]
Can’t afford the nice stuff from the Lonely Mountain these days? Dwarves don’t teach your boys metalsmithing? Not that I’ve a word to say against leather, you understand - you’re right about the noise. (But then, men and dwarves alike make so much noise you could shoot them in the dark. 
) – Gil-Gandel
Well, StarShine, as I said, when you know a fight is coming, the heavy stuff comes in right handy. But my job is usually getting there first, alone, and marking the spot. Goblins and orcs may have pointy ears just like you, but they don’t hear near as well. But I’d rather not risk sounding like I’ve gotten a pocketful of coin heading to the tavern when I’m all alone following a score or more of the uglies. And them Wargs, they hear too damn well for my tastes. Good thing the orcs and goblins are so smelly, plus I know how to track downwind, because they know how to smell too damn well too.
[QUOTE=Malacandra]
Archery is where GG is going to shine, so I’ll have to take a metric assload of arrow-points with me and spend a lot of time fletching. (That came out as “feltching”, but I don’t think we want to go there.)
[/QUOTE]
Hey, DM already said: blowpipe is a specialized weapon.
Nearly the opposite of Deor, his little brother, Theogrim is all warrior: solid, reliable and quiet. He distinguished himself from a young age as a horseman, as a swordsman, and above all with his beloved spear. Theogrim relishes mounted combat, whether he is squaring off against another mounted foe, charging a mighty troll, or riding down unmounted enemies. An uncomplicated man, Theogrim has three main motivations: perform deeds of such greatness that they will be remembered in the sagas of his people; protect Rohan and her allies from enemies; and make sure Deor doesn’t get himself killed.
[QUOTE=D_Odds]
Well, StarShine, as I said, when you know a fight is coming, the heavy stuff comes in right handy. But my job is usually getting there first, alone, and marking the spot. Goblins and orcs may have pointy ears just like you, but they don’t hear near as well. But I’d rather not risk sounding like I’ve gotten a pocketful of coin heading to the tavern when I’m all alone following a score or more of the uglies. And them Wargs, they hear too damn well for my tastes. Good thing the orcs and goblins are so smelly, plus I know how to track downwind, because they know how to smell too damn well too.
[/QUOTE]
StarHarp, if you please. We should compare notes some time, friend Brin - it sounds as if we have some experiences in common. Mind you, some of my training will be of no use to you, such as the etiquette that warns a man not to mention an Elf’s physiognomy and an Orc’s in the same breath.
[QUOTE=Malacandra]
StarHarp
[/QUOTE]
Huh, what did I say? 
[em]innocent look[/em]
I’m just a simple man from Dale, StarHarp. Don’t have centuries to learn etiquette. Just want to protect my home and feed my kin. I’ll let the Kings and Princes worry about etiquette. Me, if you ever want to know what I’m thinking, you just have to ask. - Brin
[QUOTE=D_Odds]
Well, StarShine, as I said, when you know a fight is coming, the heavy stuff comes in right handy. But my job is usually getting there first, alone, and marking the spot. Goblins and orcs may have pointy ears just like you, but they don’t hear near as well. But I’d rather not risk sounding like I’ve gotten a pocketful of coin heading to the tavern when I’m all alone following a score or more of the uglies. And them Wargs, they hear too damn well for my tastes. Good thing the orcs and goblins are so smelly, plus I know how to track downwind, because they know how to smell too damn well too.
[/QUOTE]
As a Druid with no melee weapon (I’ll have to cast ‘Flame Blade’), I respect the Fighters in our group.
But have you got special abilities to move silently and hide in shadows?
I assumed the scouts would be looking ahead…
[QUOTE=Malacandra]
Having a quick look through the party, we have three fighters and a ranger who should be much better hand to hand artists, and taking experience tables and so on into account the druid and the burrahobbit won’t be appreciably worse. Archery is where GG is going to shine, so I’ll have to take a metric assload of arrow-points with me and spend a lot of time fletching.
[/QUOTE]
Sorry to repeat myself, but I won’t have a hand to hand weapon (apart from casting one spell once per day, which only last 1 round per level :eek: ).
However I should be useful calling on plants and animals to fight for us, and healing the brave front-rank.
I sent an Email to all 8 players with a large Zip file of all sorts of things. Please let me know if you did not get it or if there are file issues.
[QUOTE=glee]
Sorry to repeat myself, but I won’t have a hand to hand weapon (apart from casting one spell once per day, which only last 1 round per level :eek: ).
However I should be useful calling on plants and animals to fight for us, and healing the brave front-rank.
[/QUOTE]
Don’t overlook the use of the Blowgun at very short range and the Entangle Spell. Very handy to help the bowyers and long arm users.
Well, don’t expect me to get stuck into any fights going on.
My job is to help find goblins, orcs and the like and then help find the things they are hiding.
Along with a few other things of course. 
[QUOTE=glee]
As a Druid with no melee weapon (I’ll have to cast ‘Flame Blade’), I respect the Fighters in our group.
But have you got special abilities to move silently and hide in shadows?
I assumed the scouts would be looking ahead…
[/QUOTE]
I’m a Ranger with tracking ability, or as I call myself, an advance scout.
[QUOTE=glee]
Sorry to repeat myself, but I won’t have a hand to hand weapon (apart from casting one spell once per day, which only last 1 round per level :eek: ).
However I should be useful calling on plants and animals to fight for us, and healing the brave front-rank.
[/QUOTE]
We’ve got three solid front line fighters (my brother, the knight of Gondor, and the Dwarf), two who will be able to engage if necessary (the Elf and the Ranger), and the burrahobbit, who will probably engage anyway. I think you and I will be fine hanging back. Now, about the Elf and the Ranger- I’ll put 10 gp on the Elf. I think he’s too quick for the Ranger to catch.
What Exit, I’ve been reading the attachment you sent- in the Material Components list, spells with a “V” must be spoken, with an “S” have a hand movement associated with the, and with an “M” have a material component, yes? And this being 1st edition, I don’t worry about school specialization directly. Ok, got it.