I am considering running a D&D campaign set in Middle-earthn for my kids during the Christmas holidays. I thought I might put up my ideas here and see if anyone else would be interested in helping out with adventure ideas.
Once I put all of this together, I will upload a PDF with the encounters etc in it for anyone to download and use in their own campaigns - if anyone is interested that is.
Here's my basic storyline.
Background
The year is 3018 of the Third Age of Middle-earth. Winter has passed and spring's bounty is upon the land. The air is abuzz with the twittering of nesting birds and the rivers are running fresh and strong with the melted snow of the northern mountains. Life is returning to the land around Dale and yet there is a taint in the air that is causing unrest in the township. Rumours of war in the east and south are being spoken openly in the marketplace and guildhalls and the trade caravans from the south are becoming fewer and fewer.
Elbeth the Healer is growing anxious. Three caravans have come and gone and none have brought her the herbs she needs. A fourth has arrived this morning, and as she watched from the steps leading down to the dock, her heart fell when A'zarael the Easterling met her eyes and shook his head in apology.
The First Adventure
The player characters are approached by Elbeth to travel south with A'zarael to determine why her herbs are no longer available. She promises gold and healing medicine for them in return for their service.
They are to travle with the caravan down the Long Lake to the great falls at the southern end, where they transfer to waggons for the long trek south and east. Their journey takes them past the noxious region where Smaug the Dragon fell to the rebuilt Laketown and then on to the south. Once at the foot of the great falls, they part company with the caravan and head off to the settlement where the herbs come from. Before they do however, they see a black-clad horseman riding north towards Dale.
This township is nestled against the eastern eaves of Mirkwood the Great. But all is not well there - black smoke is rising from the forest and the smell of death awaits the adventurers.
A force of Orcs had passed through here burning as they went. They are a part of a much larger force that is enroute to assail Thranduil's realm (they rescue Gollum from his elven guards). The players must defend themselves and somehow get the word through to the Elves about the impending attack. The herbs can wait!
After this detour, they return to Dale with news of the attack and are summoned to see the King of Dale. He tells them of a visit by an emissary of Mordor. Sauron is seeking Bilbo Baggins of the Shire and will pay gladly for news of him, naming him a thief. The consequences of rejecting this offer are dire, as war is brewing in the East and South and the men of Dale cannot hope to withstand it.
The King asks the adventurers to take a message to Bilbo warning him of the hunt.
So the adventurers must travel the length of Rhovanion, across the Misty Mountains and seek the land of Halflings, all the while avoiding the spies of the Enemy.
So the stage is set for a chase across the Wilderland with many adventures along the way. I want to include an enemy character who keeps on returning, almost catching them again and again, nearly foiling their quest, and in the end is ultimately defeated by the characters.
So, feel free to add any ideas that you'd like to contribute.
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. Who exactly do you want the returning evil character to be? An orc leader? A hasharin? Maybe even a ringwraith?
