List of monsters

[nokom]

Where could i find a list of lotr monsters such as lttle known vampires and werewolves?

[jammi567]

There is no list, as far as i know. And where are there vampires?

[nokom]

well there are none in lotr. However in the book of lost tales they make an apearance. And sauron made the werewolves. They are orc shape changers. The vampires are sometimes in the lost tales and in the merp all sorts of stuff apears.

[Earniel]

No list that I know of. You might try the Arda Encyclopedia (http://www.glyphweb.com/arda/default.asp), perhaps.

If I remember correctly Thuringwethil in the Silmarillion was something of a vampire. Orc shape changers is new info to me, though.

In any case, since you want a list with more than only the LoTR monsters I'm moving this thread to the Middle-earth forum.

[nokom]

They are not call that. Orla hai or something like that.

[Earniel]

Olog-hai, perhaps? I thought those were trolls.

[Gwaimir Windgem]

If I remember correctly Thuringwethil in the Silmarillion was something of a vampire. Orc shape changers is new info to me, though.

Right about Thuringwethil, and Orc shape-changers; sounds like something from the realms of MERP, to me.

[Gordis]

Thuringwethil was a maia, IIRC, in a vampire bat shape.
Olog-hai are defenitely "upgraded" trolls that do not fear light as the uruk-hai are "upgraded" orcs.

Orcs were never shape-changers.
Werewolves were evil spirits in wolf shape, as far as I know.

[Earniel]

[...], and Orc shape-changers; sounds like something from the realms of MERP, to me.
Oh, yes, that would explain a lot.

[nokom]

So? Merp is still middle earth.

[Earniel]

Could be, but since all the material used in MERP does not necessarily come straight out of Tolkien's writing, it explains why I didn't know it.

[durinsbane2244]

....MERP? hate to sound dumb, but...????

[Curubethion]

MERP = "Middle Earth RolePlay". Basically, D & D for LOTR.

[Gil-Galad 2.0]

I've been looking for a similar list for a long time. I do know a few creatures that are of interest, if anyone has others that are not well known this is the perfect forum to post it. If you do please includ the Uvanimor.

[Gwaimir Windgem]

So? Merp is still middle earth.

Actually, it's not. It's based on Middle-earth, but HEAVILY modified; things are changed, undone, and completely made up out of thin air.

[Gordis]

I have never played MERP games, but I came to appreciate MERP maps very much.
Nothing there contradicts a single world in Tolkien works, as far as I can tell. Nothing is altered or unmade. All the places conceived by Tolkien are there - and exactly at their right locations.

MERP maps are of course, far more detailed than any original Tolkien's map. So, yes, many things are made out of thin air. But making them the authors tried to remain true to the spirit and letter of Tolkien.

One sees immediately how well the authors knew the Legendarium. For instance: they invented a town in the Angle (in southern Rhudaur) called "Fennas Drunin". It is completely AU, as it was never mentiond by Tolkien. But Tolkien mentioned once that the Druedain used to live somewhere around, before they were driven out. So there COULD have been a town called after them, even if they were long gone. And so on.

One might argue whether it was a good or bad thing to expand Tolkien in this way, but one must recognise that it was done professionally.

[Gwaimir Windgem]

If you read the books, they make a lot of stuff up, such as classes which roughly correspond to DND's, "Cleric" and "Mage", which I think is clearly completely contrary to the spirit of Tolkien, a race of half-dwarves, etc. They also make religion much more explicit than it was in Tolkien, with offerings, fertility rites, festivals, etc. Basically now, LOTR RPG has them, too, but they take a good deal of time to explain that this is not like the , and how the practice of "magic" could be understood to fit with the different races.

The game built a loyal and strong following, enough so that ICE claimed it to be the second most popular RPG after Dungeons & Dragons. However, it is often the subject of harsh criticism, partly due to its relatively complex mechanics, but also for being a poor fit for the tone and theme of Middle-earth as presented in the books by Tolkien. Though it is usually subtle and rare in the original trilogy, Magic as depicted in the game tends to be blatant and common (players can easily play fireball slinging spell-casters in the style of D&D). Further, combat tends to be brutal and vicious, with very little encouragement of heroism or bravery.

I have never played MERP games, but I came to appreciate MERP maps very much.
Nothing there contradicts a single world in Tolkien works, as far as I can tell. Nothing is altered or unmade. All the places conceived by Tolkien are there - and exactly at their right locations.

MERP maps are of course, far more detailed than any original Tolkien's map. So, yes, many things are made out of thin air. But making them the authors tried to remain true to the spirit and letter of Tolkien.

One sees immediately how well the authors knew the Legendarium. For instance: they invented a town in the Angle (in southern Rhudaur) called "Fennas Drunin". It is completely AU, as it was never mentiond by Tolkien. But Tolkien mentioned once that the Druedain used to live somewhere around, before they were driven out. So there COULD have been a town called after them, even if they were long gone. And so on.

One might argue whether it was a good or bad thing to expand Tolkien in this way, but one must recognise that it was done professionally.

[Curubethion]

It's mostly a case of adaptability. Tolkien's Middle-Earth doesn't easily adapt to what D&Ders are used to: a solidly constructed magic system, clear-cut classes...a variety of classes...lots of detailed stuff. To be playable, a game must have these all.

Although I don't agree that LOTR RPGs should have a sort of magic system, as magic in Tolkien's works was not very pronounced, and used exclusively by one or two people.

[Gwaimir Windgem]

I like the way LOTR RPG handles it. It makes the magic very subtle, something entirely different than *MAXIMIZED FLAME STRIKE*, lightning bolts, chain lightning, etc. of DND. It has some spells used to damage, but not anything like what you see in DND; not something you'd choose a character for. It also makes serious warnings about having a magic-using character.

[Curubethion]

Now that's the way it should be done. That sounds really cool...

[Gwaimir Windgem]

The system is also very much oriented towards actual role-playing, as opposed to hack and slash; they have large sections of the book devoted to talking about heroic qualities, the Storyteller give experience points, rather than you getting them from killing critters, etc. All in all, I think it's one of the better systems I've seen.

World of Darkness is pretty damn good too, though...

[Finrod Felagund]

The olnly case of vampires I know 9of is when Sauron took the shape of one and fled from Huan and Luthien.