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I originally wrote this as a comment on another post ( http://boardgamegeek.com/thread/762949/the-game-spands-17-ye...), but it got too long so I decided to post a seperate thread.
So the game takes 17 years between Bilbo's departure and Frodo's departure.
And while some might think it is a plothole that Gandalf's took 17 years to discover the Ring of Power is, in fact, Ring of Power. But I can see it making perfect sense.
I think the reason why Gandalf didn't act sooner is because he simply didn't believe it.
He suspected it, his heart told him it could've been ring of power, but his brain over-ruled it otherwise.
A mere hobbit being able to resist the power of the One Ring?
I mean Gandalf always knew hobbits were more than meets the eyes, but I doubt even he thought Bilbo can withstand the Ring of Power for 50 years.
So he thought this was probably one of the miner Rings, because in the book it says the Ringsmith made many magical rings, most notable being the Nine, the Seven, the Three, and the One ring (which was made by Sauron).
I envision Gandalf going more like
'well this Ring most certainly is powerful.... but then again there are lot of magic Rings.... but unaging for 50 years? Maybe this is the Ring of Power..... nah, that's foolish talk, a mere hobbit resisting Ring of Power for 50 years? Come on Gandalf, think it through... I mean there were other Rings made, maybe one of them survived.... But the way Bilbo acts, and that nasty business with Gollum.... nah I mean that's just crazy talk, it can't possibly be the Ring of Power..."
and on and on and on, having doubts about the Ring, but disproving himself everytime he thinks of that matter.
And of course, there is Saruman (whom I imagine to Gandalf is a trusted collegue, perhaps a mentor of a sort or an old friend at the least).
"You know I MAJOR in this subject, I know all about the history of Rings and is close on recovering its making! The One Ring is in the bottom of ocean because of ."
It is only until after Bilbo telling Gandalf that he "feel like my life force is being spread out, or zapped out of me, I don't know I feel weird" that he decides to capture the Gollum and dig into this Ring business. (probably to disprove his doubt once and for all)
And the way Saruman talks about (or to Gandalf), suggests that Gandalf have been more relaxed (lazy, procrastinative) since he started smoking weeds and hang around with halflings.
But yeah.. going back with the original topic of my thoughts of timeline of the game.
I like how it takes place before the actual Great Years.
We have been clearly told there were growing darkness for past decade and Gandalf did a lot of rallying allies
the quest for erebor, slaying of Smaug, battle of 5 armies, destruction of Goblin armies of misty mouontain and renewd friendship of Dale-Erebor/Iron Mountains-Woodenelf being just one of them
I can't wait till what else Gandalf (or Denethor or Imrahil or Elrond or other powerful allies) did to prepare for the storm to come; to weaken enemy's strength while strengthening the old allies once again.
Already, this LCG explained why the eagles grant Istari (notably Radagast) certain favours (Radagast saved Wilydor's life, and Eagles want to show their gratitude and Radagast is good friend of Gandalf and such),
of rallying of Beorning and how they are keeping the lands safe, capturing of Gollum (which is one of the major event in my opinion), Arwen being summoned from Lorien to Rivendel due to growing threat of Dol Guldur.
From what I can tell, so far the designers at the FFG only used what happened in yr 3009 (capturing of Gollum / Summoning of Arwen), but there are tons of other things they could adventure into.
What's happening in Gondor? Those pirates from Umbar attacking harbours and such?
Whats happening in Iron Mountains with growing threat of Orcs and Rhune?
What is being done to keep Goblin force in Grey mountain at bay?
What made Dwarves flee to Blue Mountains?
Maybe some quest about elves fleeing to the harbour,
of the burrow-wrights,
of growing threat and battles at north that Aragorn spoke of,
Maybe Saruman tricked some heroes into aiding him looking for the Ring of Power as Sauron's forces are growing,
how about that constant conflict between Rohan and Dunland (that appears to have been secretely aided by Saruman all along)
and for the love of god, what are those 2 blue wizards doing in the far east? Have what they've done somehow lessened Sauron's force? Did they forsake their mission and took up another interest like Radagast? Are they traitors like Saruman and that's why the entire men of East supports Sauron?
I mean, the Mirkwood cycle ended at yr 3017, but it is clear the Dwarrowdelf cycle wil began at year 3009, so the cycles are not in chronological order, so they can go back and deal with each epic adventures in any order.
And the timeline goes rigth up to september of year 3018, so more intense, plot sensitive quests are also possible.
I mean we already had massing at osgiliath, which takes 5 months prior to departure of Frodo.
Which means there are possible windows of Boromir's quest to Rivendel, of the dreams of Faramir and Boromir about the prophecy,
Gandalf's escape from Saruman,
the darkening of Denethor,
enchantment of Theoden,
growing armies of Isengard,
and on and on and on.
Too bad stuff like battle of ford at Isen and battle of Dale can't be included due to time-line, but at the same time, those are battles, not quests.
Nate French hinted that they can (and probably will) move this game from Rhovanion to any other region of the Middle-Earth, and by that I hope he meant of Eridador, of Rohan and Gondor and Khand and Harad and Rhune and far-away places.
Of course, if you really like something and is passionate about something, there are lot of things to complain about as well.
And I absolutely hate and can't stand some of things FFG did to this game.
Eowyn is like what? 14 by the end of Mirkwood Cycle?
But her illustratiosn suggest that she is at least in her early 20s.
Had she been depicted as a strong willed 12-yr-old-ish girl, following her cousin Theodred or her father Eomund or her "bodyguard" Dunhere around, I would've been fine. But really? Grown up Eowyn in year 3009?
Bilbo and Frodo wondering around? Bilbo without the Ring is now rapidly aging, and Frodo often wonders far from home, but definitely not as far as Rhovanion.
Some of the cards I hate as well (thematically).
Like naming of some cards like fast hitch and second breakfast doesn't make sense to be visually (considering the events they refer to in the book). And ESPECIALLY ride to ruin.
Really? Couldn't come up with some other name? Had to use the phrase used by Eomer after finding out death of his uncle (who has been like father to him) Theoden? The very phrase used to launch almost-suicidal charge into enemy with fury and anger and sorrow of death of their beloved king? Couldn't have just named it with some other quest or travel related name rather than the most desperate, furious, epic battle charge of the entire book?
So yeah... that was a really a long mumble, but thought I'd post it anyways to see if anyone else shares my excitement for this game.
There is just so much possibility and so much I came to expect from this game,
I really hope they explore the possbilities that readers didn't even thought about,
and rather than over-trying to use things from the movies, keep true to the book or invent some original characters that would fit, (like I really liked Beravor)
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Jefferson Krogh
United States
San Leandro
California
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If you spend much time trying to fit this card game (which was designed to be a game first and foremost) into the exact details of Tolkien's chronology (which was designed to serve the drama first and foremost), you will just drive yourself crazy.
FFG is going to take some artistic license with Tolkien's artistic license, for reasons of pure commerce. The number of gamers who want to "play with Frodo" are going to FAR outnumber the number of gamers who have memorized the chronology of the books. Therefore, FFG is better off serving the former group, so as not to lose their shirts on this game.
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At the end of the day it's a game with 'loose' tie-ins to Tolkien history as the selling point. I do share your excitement though!!
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Chris Corbin
United States
Tallahassee
FL
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I think Saruman said it best about Gandalf
Quote: "your love of the halfling's leaf has slowed your wit!"
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Derek Coon
United States
Redwood City
California
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theduke850 wrote: I think Saruman said it best about Gandalf Quote: "your love of the halfling's leaf has slowed your wit!"
Except that Saruman didn't actually say that. (Except in the movie.)
OP: I think there's room for Thorongil's adventures in the east...
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Chris Corbin
United States
Tallahassee
FL
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man, I love the movies, but they totally skew my memory of everything.
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Colin Houghton
United Kingdom
London
London
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The wit-sapping leaf... is that the thing that lembas bread is wrapped in? Or the stuff used as pipe-weed... or are they one and the same? Has Lembas bread or pipeweed appeared on any LOTR LCG cards yet and with direct effects? I haven't got all the quest packs (yet).
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My brother had a "pipe deck" in The old Lord of the Rings CCG by Decipher. It involved playing the various pipe possessions on his characters such as "Aragorn's Pipe," "Gandalf's Pipe," "Frodo's Pipe," "Bilbo's Pipe" etc. and then playing and discarding "Long Bottom Leaf" or "Old Toby" to activate the pipes for various beneficial effects.
Good times, good times...
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Mike Urban
United States
Los Angeles
California
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Expecting any card game to be a 'simulation' in any meaningful way is a pipeweed-dream. Let's face it, what are Frodo and Denethor doing poking around in the Dead Marshes? Still, it's an intriguing image. No, my 'thematic' gripes with this otherwise excellent game are small annoyances like careless use of words like 'Istari' or 'Dunedain' (plural, and so not suited as adjectives. Note that words used to classify cards like 'hero' are singular; and 'Istari' does not in any case occur in the main text of the novel, with even Saruman using the word 'Wizard'), and references to 'The Necromancer' for Sauron even though that identity had long since been disposed of. These are the sort of things that could have been corrected easily by running the card names and texts past a reasonably qualified expert, which is what makes them so annoying.
The use of the original characters from Middle-earth Quest is unfortunate -- especially the very non-Tolkien-named 'Eleanor' -- but, I suppose, understandable on FFG's part.
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LSU LSU
United States
Virginia Beach
Virginia
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Ostadan wrote:
The use of the original characters from Middle-earth Quest is unfortunate -- especially the very non-Tolkien-named 'Eleanor' -- but, I suppose, understandable on FFG's part.
I agree with you about Istari and Dunedain misuses, but I do not see Eleanor's name as such a problem given that Sam's daughter's name was Elanor. Now, creating new characters is another can of worms entirely.
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Colin Houghton
United Kingdom
London
London
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I just would love to see the Grima Wormtongue lineage, and some of his ancestors appearing (in the Encounter deck, obviously!)
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argus88 wrote: My brother had a "pipe deck" in The old Lord of the Rings CCG by Decipher. It involved playing the various pipe possessions on his characters such as "Aragorn's Pipe," "Gandalf's Pipe," "Frodo's Pipe," "Bilbo's Pipe" etc. and then playing and discarding "Long Bottom Leaf" or "Old Toby" to activate the pipes for various beneficial effects.
Good times, good times...
Yes i remember this deck quite well....... Good time i spend with this game too......
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