MIOOLE- CARTN Based on THE HOBBIT™ and THE LORD OF THE RINGS™. IRON [age Perfect for seasoned players as well as those who have CROWN ‘never experienced the thrill of fantasy role playing. ENTERPRISES LEE): middle-earth role playing” | (merp) CREDITS Design and Development: S, Coleman Charlton Sample Adventures: John David Ruemmler, Richard H. Britton, Coleman Charlton, Pete Fenion Middle-earth Research and Material: Peter C. Fenlon, Bruce R. Neidlinges, Terry K. Amthor, Coleman Charlton Cover Art and Character Ilustrations: Angus McBride Interior Art: Charles Peale, Rick Britton, Pete Fenton, Dennis Loubet, Jim Holloway Layouts and Cover Graphis Pete Fenlon Map: Pete Fenlon Production: John Ruemmler, Sean Murphy, Pete Fenlon, ‘Terry Amthor, Coleman Charlton, Larry Simms ick “What's a Merp?” Britton, System Contributions: Terry Amthor, Pete Fenlon, Kurt H, Fisher, Bruce Neidlinger Editorial Contributions: Terry Amthor, Stephen Bouton, Chris Christensen, Pete “Is 80 pages of races 100 much?” Fenlon, Bruce “This rule is stupid” Neidlinger, . John “Mondo Bizarro” Ruemmler, Larry Simms . Special Contributions: Tom Williams, Nancy “The Californi Cranberry" Cranwell, Howard “Make my day” Huggins, ‘Sam “tI like Big Women” Irvin, Deane “no form, no paycheck” Begiebing, Leonard “sump” Cook Playtesting: Olivia “I'm the REAL Olivia” Johnston, Olivia "No, I'm the REAL Olivia” Irwin, Gary Thompson, Rocky Byrd, Terry “Billy” Amthor, Dave “Bud” Dixon, Chris “sneaked not snuck” Christensen, Steven “loadrunner” Bouton, Brian “Half-elf/Half-dwart™ Bouton, James “laughs in the face of unemployment” Blevins, Elizabeth “what's an 002” Roberts, Larry “no prisoners" Simms, Heike Kubasch, ‘Typesetting by Graphic Communications, Woodeuts from: 1800 Woodeuts by Thomas Bewick und His ‘School, Edited by Blanche Cirker, Published by Dover : Publications Inc. New York, VE 2nd U.S. Edition, July 1986. Produced and distributed by IRON CROWN ENTERPRISES, Inc. P.O, BOX 1608, Charlottesville, VA 22902 Stock #RPS000 Copyright® 1984, 1986 TOLKIEN ENTERPRISES, « division of ELAN MERCHANDISING, Inc., Berkeley, Ca. Middle-earth Role Playing (MERP), The Hobbit, and The Lord of the Rings and all characters and places therein, are trademark properties of TOLKIEN ENTERPRISES. ISBN 0-915795-31.0 7Part! ROLE PLAYING IN TOLKIEN'S WORLD Introduction. What Is A Fantasy Role Playing Game? Adventuring In Middle-earth ‘The Place Called Middle-earth A Sample FRP Adventure. THE RULES AND GUIDELINES 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 LEARNING TO USE MERP. 1.2 DEFINITIONS ANDCONY 2.0 THE BASIC FACTORS DEFINING A CHARACTER 2.1 MENTAL AND PHYSICAL STATISTICS Lit Sutton 2.2 RACE ANDCULTURE. TONS. 24 Lane 25 Rac Clinton 2.3 SKILLRANKS 2.1 Sula nes 252 Primary ile 23 Sceondar Si PROFESSIONS BACKGROUND 2.51 Rackrownd Options 116 EXPERIENCE AND ADVANCIN et Guarantee 2a Atvonnge lev 1.7 KEEPING TRACK OF A CHARACTER 24 Resta Ro Boer) 275 Omer Capt 2.8 THE ROLE OF THE CHARACTER 3.0 CREATING AND MOLDING ACHARAC 3.1 GENERATINGSTATISTICS 3.2 CHOOSING RACE AND CULTURE 3.3 ADOLESCENCE SKILL DEVELOPMENT 3.4 CHOOSING A PROFESSION 3.5 BACKGROUND OPTIONS AND DETAILS, 3.6 APPRENTICESHIP SKILL DEVELOPM 3.7 READYING THE PLAYER CHARACTER. 271 Oot 3.8 BRINGING A PLAYER CHARACTER TO LIFE 4 s Contents 4.0 THE WORLD SYSTEM THE GAMEMASTER'STASK. 4.1 THESETTING 4441 Cried Ares 4.2, THE NON-PLAYER CHARACTERS (NPCS) 421 The Genera Popaace 423 Hoste Popeatone 4435 Inhabitat Advent Ses 46 AwocttecorthePiaperCharcten ‘THEPLOT 431 Gener Pots, 432 NPCOHjctinesand Pine 433 PCGeasandncenten 4.4: TYPICAL ADVENTURES, 442 General Encountes 4.5 MAGIC ANDSPELIS 4 488 CastingSpts 4.6 RELIGION 4.7 INJURY, DEATH, AND HEALING. {023 Nataral Heating Fit Ae 4.34 Heing withSpets 4435 Heating Hers 4.8 POISONS, DISEASES, WEATHER, BUYING, SELLING AND MONEY 5.0 ACTION IN THE STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENT 5.1 ACTIVITYIN CIVILIZED AREAS Gaining fori. 8.2. ACTIVITY INTHE COUNTRYSIDE £21 Movement £2 Campsiesiortsog and pig. 8.3 SCOUTING THE COUNTRYSIDE 5.31 Lookingfor Adventures 6.0 ACTION IN THE ‘TACTICAL ENVIRONME! 6.1 REPRESENTING THE PHYSICAL SITUATION 6.2 THESEQUENCE OF ACTIONS DURING A ROUND. 6.3 PREPARING AND CASTINGSPELLS. 6.4 MOVEMENT (641 Renning — Double Movement 6.5 MANEUVERS. (632 State Mancavers kee e bbb bb testes s see sees Geeeke a aa bbe Reena