FRONTLINES

What has happened in the world of Middle-earth gaming since April? Well, for reasons still unknown, the MERP discussion list on the Internet crashed a month ago and hasn't been operational since. There has been some discussion among the survivors about starting up a new on-line group, but so far nothing has materialized.

Speaking of non-events on the Internet, the much hyped appearance of OH 12 on the vastus website never transpired, and the manager of that site has mysteriously vanished off the face of the earth. However, the splash pages for the site are still sitting there on the Net, and anyone who wants to check out the cool graphics for what was going to be the OH cover page can do so by reaching the site (http://www.vastus.com), clicking on the circle at the center of the screen, and then clicking on the OH logo appearing on the second screen.

OK, now for some good news: Other Hands now has 82 subscribers (54 American, 28 international). Sure, that's still pretty small as gaming journals go, but it's a steady increase by any reckoning.

As for MERP products, most of my summer was spent re-editing the Arnor realm module in preparation for its second printing as a two-volume work. The new edition will, of course, be worth getting, even if you own the old, one-volume edition; among other goodies, it will feature: 1) maps whose edges match (following the example of SG:TL), 2) lots of new or revised internal maps, 3) scores of new Elvish translations for hitherto untranslated names that appear in the original edition, 4) a fully updated and grammatically perfect text, harmonized with new information that has appeared in various module releases since 1994 and with forthcoming modules, 5) new NPC bios with stats for Gandalf, Arwen, Elladan and Elrohir. Finally, just as with the Southern Gondor modules, we ran all of the Elvish (and other foreign languages) past a professional Middle-earth linguist to ensure accuracy. A full glossary of the name-changes, modifications, and additions incorporated into the new edition will be included in the next issue of OH. The most recent ETAs for the new Arnor have been given as October ("The People") and November ("The Land").

Next on the burner is Forodwaith, a bold new realm module by Randy Maxwell. This module will cover ALL of the territory north of Eriador, from the lands beyond the Grey Mountains in the east to the northwesternmost islands off the coast of Pete Fenlon's Middle-earth continent map. Final editing should commence within the next few weeks, and a Christmas '96 release is hoped for (though I personally have a feeling that it will not be ready until January or February of next year). A lot depends on how soon the color map can be commissioned. By the time Forodwaith is in production, Mike Campbell's Rhûn realm module (previewed last issue) should be ready for editing.

It was recently decided between Jessica Ney-Grimm and myself that the current manuscript for an herb sourcebook should be expanded to include more information on healers and healing traditions in general. The idea is to come up with a sourcebook�perhaps a series of sourcebooks�oriented towards different player character professions (analogous in scope, but superior in content, to the "character class supplements" currently offered by TSR). In this case, the book will focus on the role played by healers within the various cultures of Middle-earth (e.g., how to create a healer character from a given culture, what sort of healing lore or skills that culture has access to, etc.). The book will then conclude with an exhaustive compendium of all the healing herbs that have been mentioned in previous MERP modules (after the fashion of the Creatures and Treasures sourcebooks). The tentative plan is to make this project a collective endeavor, with each race or culture covered by an author who is working (or already has published) a module on that people. So, for instance, Wes Frank would write entries for the healing traditions of Hobbits and of Haradrim, while Randy Maxwell would do the entry on the Lossoth, and so forth. The result, we hope, will be an incredibly diverse and richly detailed tome that can be applied to practically any culture of northwestern Middle-earth. Work will hopefully begin on this book within the next month. The book's new title (formerly Athelas and Other Herbs) has not yet been decided. Any ideas?

There are at least five new projects in the wings. The first of these, a Lindon realm module, is being written by newcomer Howard Jones. David Wendelken (a veteran contributor to the Southern Gondor releases) is currently working on a proposal for a revised Lórien realm module. As mentioned last issue, David Woolpy has been confirmed for work on a Minas Morgul citadel piece, and is presently awaiting some improved maps of Minas Ithil.

A New Zealander duo, Sam Daish and Steve Martin, have announced their intention to write a Tharbad citadel module. Finally, Justin Morgan-Davies has begun work with co-author Steve Randall on a proposal for a Dwarves people book. Meanwhile, the already announced Dorwinion, Khand, Near Harad, Ringwraiths, and Umbar projects proceed apace.

The Paths of the Dead project has also made progress since last issue. Its author team has been assembled and play-testing of several adventure ideas has begun. A good deal of conceptual work was ironed out over the summer pertaining to the nature and powers of undead in Tolkien's world, but much still remains to be done before serious work can be done on the citadel layout.

The Northern Gondor realm module project has been held in abeyance for the moment due to the more immediate priorities of Arnor and Forodwaith, but a lot of on-line R&D has already transpired concerning the Rhovanion frontier with the Dorwinion and Rhûn authors; and now that a Tharbad citadel is in the works, development of the Enedhwaith frontier should soon commence.

I may have spoken somewhat prematurely about the hoped-for Middle-earth language guide (mentioned last issue), since no agreement has actually been concluded between ICE and the prospective authors. However, a formal project proposal is scheduled to be made and I anticipate that negotiations will begin. In the interim, the fearsome four have not been idle. They have been busy preparing Tolkien's "Quenya Lexicon" (which, if I understand correctly, goes all the way back to 1914!) for publication.

Reporter: Chris Seeman