Other Hands #9 - April 1995

I was thinking about entitling this our first ​“globalization” issue, but that sounded too cheesy. Nevertheless, that would have been an apt description of recent events since OH 8 last January. With the aid of a new, computerized database of Tolkien groups and publications, my friend Gary Hunnewell has helped me to establish contact with Middle-earth gamers in the former Soviet Union (many of whom have never heard of MERP, much less OH). This new contact with our fellow enthusiasts around the world has encouraged me to feel that perhaps there is a future for Middle-earth gaming, despite its (apparent) invisibility in the US.

In a draft letter written in 1954 Tolkien denied that there was any ​“religion” in Middle-earth (Letters: 193). However, he was referring to the existence of an organized religion with buildings, priestly cults, etc. In fact, there is much evidence of religion in The Lord of the Rings. In page 13 of The Road Goes Ever On Tolkien wrote about Elvish songs in praise of Elbereth, ​“The Elves sing hymns to her,” and then commented. These and other references to religion in The Lord of the Rings are frequently overlooked. In a small way I would like to remedy this ​“overlooking.”

It is said that Estë, having perceived Melkor’s designs to do harm to the creatures of Ilúvatar, took counsel with Yavanna and caused plants to grow that could heal and strengthen the body. Many of these herbs cause sleep, for Estë’s gift to all is rest. Chief among these is asëa aranion, also called Athelas, whose leaves, if crushed, carry the fragrance of the Blessed Isles. Estë also taught the use of herbs to the Elves who, in turn, taught Men. She granted the Edain the power to heal the illnesses of their kind, but not to prolong their lives beyond the time allotted them, as this would be contrary to the designs of Ilúvatar.

This article presents my idea of the early population history of the Dwarves. Unlike Jason Beresford’s and Gunnar Brolin’s articles on human populations in earlier issues of Other Hands (#3: 4 – 10; #4: 22 – 23], it does not use any scientific or historical methodology to arrive at its conclusions. I feel that calculating the population of a Dwarven culture by using average population densities would be impossible anyway. It is rather my own extrapolations from the little information that J.R.R. Tolkien himself has written on these matters.

This is a short adventure designed to send the characters on a romp through Gondor’s rural backwaters. It can take place at any time in Gondor’s history. Numbers and weapon skill are not crucial; cleverness is a stronger asset. The only prerequisites are that the characters must own at least one horse, that they must end a day’s travel through Lamedon in the middle of nowhere, with no inn as far as the eye can see, and that they must look and act peacefully enough to be admitted to the home of an average farmer (which is where they enter the plot).

This adventure begins with a series of events that take place before the characters even get involved. They’ll literally stumble upon the plot and quickly get caught up in something dark and nasty before they realize it. The characters can enter the scenario in a variety of ways. They could be traveling along the river bank and spot Isanar’s body. Or they could be asked by an officer of the realm to investigate the death of Elanir Banair. Shadier characters might be friends of lsanar and want to find out about his death.

Two Reviews of The Kin-strife.