1

Author: Daniel Vacaflores (2014)

Adaptation to MERP: Christian Limbach (2014)
First edition: Other Minds #Issue 14 (march 2014) – www.otherminds.net
All illustrations are used by permission of the artists

Derivated work / Design cover/interior: Cirdann de Felrive (March 2021) – Release V.2.0 (April 2021)
Cover art: AlystraeaArt (deviantart), with permission

Table of Contents
1.0 INTRODUCTION ............................................2 3.3 SCENE ONE: “THE AWAKENING” ........................19

2.0 PRESENTATION OF CUIVIÉNEN ....................2 3.4 SCENE TWO: “SHADOWS IN THE FOREST” ........21
3.4.1 First Act: “The Scream”.........................................21
2.1 WHERE LAYS CUIVIÉNEN? ............................................. 2 3.4.2 Second Act: “The Disappearance” ............................21
3.4.3 Third Act: “The Shadows”......................................22
2.2 WHAT IS CUIVIÉNEN? .................................................... 4 3.4.4 Epilogue to the Scene ...........................................23
2.3 THE WORLD AROUND CUIVIÉNEN .............................. 6 3.5 INTERLUDE: “SAFE” .......................................................23
2.4 YAVANNA’S SLEEP: LIFE FORMS UNDER THE STARS... 7 3.6 SCENE THREE: “THE DARK HUNTER”..........................23
2.5 MARRING OF ARDA (THE SHADOW OF MORGOTH) 10 3.6.1 First Act [optional]: “To the Rescue of Ingwë” .............24
3.6.2 Second Act: “Forest Hunt” .....................................24
2.6 ABOUT THE BROKEN SYMMETRY OF THE WORLD ... 12 3.6.3 Third Act: “Battle of Titans” ...................................25
2.7 THE PROBLEM OF THE SUN AND THE MOON ............ 15 3.6.4 Fourth Act: “Treebeard” ........................................26
3.6.5 Interlude: “Tree Shepherds” ...................................26
3.0 THE AWAKENING OF THE ELVES................ 17 3.6.6 Epilogue (to the Scene): “Farewell to Treebeard” .........27

3.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................ 17 3.7 SCENE FOUR: “STEPS OF FATE” .....................................28

3.1.1 BACKGROUND ................................................17 3.7.1 First Act: “A Shadow over Cuiviénen” .......................28
3.1.2 SCHEMATIC GUIDE ..........................................17 3.7.2 Interlude: “The Dread” .........................................29
3.7.3 Second Act: “False Alarm” .....................................29
3.2 INTRODUCING THE PCs ................................................ 18 3.7.4 Third Act: “The Hunter” .......................................30
3.7.5 Fourth Act [optional]: “Lost in the Dark Nets of Melkor” 31

The work is the intellectual property of the authors, art creators and designers. It is intended for private, non-profit use. No portion of this work or material derived from
it may be used for commercial purposes without the permission of its authors, creators and designers.
This module is a non-commercial, fan-created module designed for the Middle-earth Role Playing (MERP) game by Iron Crown Enterprises (now long out-of-print). This
document is intended for the personal, private use of role-playing game (RPG) players and game-masters (GMs), as an aid for their study and role-playing enjoyment. All
references to the works of J.R.R. Tolkien are the property of Middle-earth Enterprises (M-eE) and/or the Tolkien Estate. All other material is the property of the authors, and
may not be offered for sale, nor altered, without permission.
CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
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1.0 INTRODUCTION The following quote is the main and most elaborate
description of the location of Cuiviénen:
In the changes of the world the shapes of lands and of seas
In the changes of the world the shapes of lands and of seas
have been broken and remade; rivers have not kept their courses,
have been broken and remade; rivers have not kept their courses,
neither have mountains remained steadfast; and to Cuiviénen
neither have mountains remained steadfast; and to Cuiviénen
there is no returning...
there is no returning. But it is said among the Elves that it lay far
off in the east of Middle-earth, and northward, and it was a bay
in the Inland Sea of Helcar; and that sea stood where aforetime
This [module] gives you a very good and well-researched
the roots of the mountain of Illuin had been before Melkor
overview of Cuiviénen and all matters surrounding the place of overthrew it. Many waters fl owed down thither from heights in
awakening of the Firstborn. It serves as a great (and quite the east.
unsual) campaign setting if you’re interested in an elven-
centered (and truly epic) campaign. It is intended as the The Silmarillion.Quenta Silmarillion (Of the Coming
groundwork for the following mincampaign right after this of the Elves and the Captivity of Melkor)
essay. That way the GM can familiarise himself with the setting
and peculiarities before starting the game. Despite the poetic beauty, this text offers little usable
information concerning the even approximate location of
If you want to master a campaign in Cuiviénen set around the place of The Awakening of the Elves on a map.
the time of The Awakening of the Elves and the years the- Luckily Tolkien left us a series of map sketches, published
reafter, it is necessary to take into ac- count some fundamental in The Shaping of Middle-earth (HoMe; book 4 in the
facts. This includes the physical description of Cuiviénen as a series) that shed some light on this point. Here I present
geographic background, life under the sole light of stars, the a simplified version based on those maps.
existence of plants and animals during Yavanna’s Sleep,
creatures, the Quendi and the first elvish society. Most of all, it In this sketch we see clearly the location of Cuiviénen,
is of paramount importance to consider the bibliographic and all its geographic features correspond with the
(re)sources written by Tolkien. This analysis is intended as a passage from The Silmarillion quoted above. The
campaign guide for these kind of adventures. This series of following excerpt (from the Ambarkanta, the
articles is deeply interwoven with the gaming modules of accompanying description of the shape of the world in
“Chronicles of Cuiviénen”, published together in this Issue of the same book) situates Cuiviénen (still spelled with a
Other Minds. leading ‘K’ in this early version) in the same place, in
comparison to Hildorién’s location.
First, I am going to analyze all things related to Cuiviénen,
the place of The Awakening of the Elves and the central place
Kuiviénen where Oromë found the Elves is to the North [of
for a campaign set at this time.
Hildorién] beside the waters of Helkar.
Daniel Vacaflores The Shaping of Middle-earth. The Ambarkanta

So far so good. So long as we have access to The

2.0 PRESENTATION OF CUIVIÉNEN Shaping of Middle-earth there shouldn’t be any problem
locating Cuiviénen, but for the following quote:
2.1 WHERE LAYS CUIVIÉNEN?
…the elder children of Ilúvatar awoke in the midmost of the
For many of the Tolkien fans their knowledge of the World…
Elder Days begins and ends with The Silmarillion. I re The Shaping of Middle-earth. The Earliest Annals of
member how for me “Cuiviénen” was a mythic place lost Valinor
in the mists of time somewhere in the far east of
Middleearth.
 3

Anybody who knows

himself with the HoMe series
knows that we face multiple
layers of development in the
myths of Middle-earth, many
times contradictory in
themselves and only rarely
definitive (Hardly surprising,
since the HoMe is designed to
make the various
developmental process in
creating the stories clear and
traceable). I want to use this
place to make a brief
reflection about the nature of
research concerning the Elder
Days.
First, we have to remember that the—seeming— All these different layers have extraordinary tales that
certainty that The Silmarillion conveys largely is an any Tolkien fan should read (like The Fall of Gondolin in
editorial product of J.R.R. Tolkien’s son Christopher, the HoMe 2, the Ambarkanta in HoMe 4, the Lhammas
and therefore not as absolute as is commonly thought. in HoMe 5, Athrabeth Finrod ah Andreth and general
There are successive layers of development of the legends Myths Transformed in HoMe 10, The Wanderings of
of the First Age and before, beginning from a very Húrin in HoMe 11, and many, many others). These
primitive but rich myth cycle about an imagined mythic books are also full of these extra “layers” on the same
past of the English Isles, which Tolkien wrote before he theme that many find extremely difficult to read, but that
was 30 years old! In this primitive narration [cf. “The are of special interest for Middle-earth scholars.
Book of Lost Tales” I & II, HoMe 1 & 2 respectively] basic
elements of the later Silmarillion are already clearly The point is that one must have in mind this complex
recognizable, but it was many times revised, compressed evolution before allowing oneself to declare some piece
and expanded again, which gives successive layers of of data as absolute (If this is possible at all; depending on
the premises). It is not only that some ideas changed with
narrative development [cf. “The Lays of Beleriand” and
time or contradict themselves, but that some pieces of
“The Shaping of Middle-earth”, HoMe 3 & 4], until we
information exist only in the first layers. So we (always)
come to the (uncompleted) layer of The Silmarillion [cf.
have to decide what is relevant or “correct” and what is
“The Lost Road and Other Writings”, HoMe 5]. The
Silmarillion is a compressed version of the story of the not.
Elder Days, which Christopher Tolkien put together I would allow myself to say that many such
from multiple “layers”, based on the “Silmarillion” interpretations stay a matter of personal taste or the
development up to the 1950’s. importance of approximately objective parameters (like
But to make things more complicated again, we have the “version number” of a given story), and how exactly
still another layer of development [cf. “Morgoth’s Ring” one imagines Middle-earth.
and “The War of the Jewels”, HoMe 10 & 11] from the The other side to the same problem is that having
later days of J.R.R. Tolkien (i.e. after The Lord of the multiple versions of the same “history” one must choose
Rings) that fundamentally alters the structure of The one as “official”. I think there are two basic postures in
Silmarillion as we know it, but that he never developed this matter: those who take The Silmarillion version (due
far enough into a “nearly complete” version. to its “official” status), and those who see Morgoth’s Ring
and The War of the Jewels as bearing more weight (due
 4
to their later writing). But I could say that it would also What do we know about Cuiviénen? In The
be possible (and interesting!) to take The Book of Lost Silmarillion and The Book of Lost Tales there are some
Tales as the primary guideline. Again, I think it stays a relevant quotes that I deem worth reproducing,
matter of personal taste, those ideas that fascinate our including the first one of the last heading.
hearts. And, again, no complete interpretation is possible
in any of these without referring to the other layers, since But it is said among the Elves that it lay far off in the east of
the incompleteness of any and all of them. If you want to Middle-earth, and northward, and it was a bay in the Inland Sea
of Helcar; and that sea stood where aforetime the roots of the
know my personal view: I prefer The Silmarillion version
mountain of Illuin had been before Melkor overthrew it. Many
as a base and expanded to include all other Tolkien waters flowed down thither from heights in the east...
material. I prefer to see this body of differing texts as
different sources of knowledge that the players have in The Silmarillion.Of the Coming of the Elves and the
the game, in Middle-earth, as works of differing scholarly Captivity of Melkor
traditions in-game. As such the Gamemaster can let the
players wade through conflicting information and let In Cuiviénen sweet ran the waters under unclouded stars, and
their characters find answers for themselves. wide lands about, where a free people might walk. There they lie
still and await us who in our folly forsook them.
I see this multitude of material as a treasure to
The Silmarillion. Of the Flight of the Noldor
unearth, and not as something deterrent. It is not
necessary to have advanced knowledge on Tolkien’s
works to play in Middle-earth, and this multitude gives a There he finds a place deep in a vale surrounded by pineclad
Gamemaster ideas and material to explore some of these slopes; its floor is a pool of wide water and its roof the twilight set
details in his games and give depth to his campaign. As with Varda’s stars. There had Oromë heard the awaking of the
Eldar, and all songs name that place Koiviënéni or the Waters of
tolkiendili (lovers of the work of Tolkien) we assume the
Awakening.
role of scholars of Middleearth for roleplaying games,
and I hope that such unearthed lore helps you in your Now all the slopes of that valley and the bare margin of the lake,
Middle-earth gaming experience. even the rugged fringes of the hills beyond, are filled with a
concourse of folk who gaze in wonder at the stars, and some sing
Coming back to the original question about the already with voices that are very beautiful.
location of Cuiviénen in the midmost of the world, for
The Book of Lost Tales I. The Coming of the Elves and
the time being I think it is safe to see it as an anomaly the Making of Kôr
without further meaning. Christopher Tolkien’s
interpretation on this point is as follows:
…but the most were those who left not Palisor at all, a long time
The Elves are said to have awoken ‘in the midmost of the World’; they dwelt in the pinewoods of Palisor, or sat in silence gazing at
in S and Q Cuiviénen is ‘in the East’, ‘far in the East’, as in The the mirrored stars in the pale still Waters of Awakening.
Silmarillion. But I doubt that this is significant, in view of the
[...]
placing of Kuiviénen on the Ambarkanta map IV (see insert),
which could be referred to either as ‘in the East’ or as ‘in the Now the places about Koiviënéni the Waters of Awakening are
midmost of the World’. rugged and full of mighty rocks, and the stream that feeds that
water falls therein down a deep cleft.... a pale and slender thread,
The Shaping of Middle-earth. The Earliest Annals of
but the issue of the dark lake was beneath the earth into many
Valinor [commentary]
endless caverns falling ever more deeply into the bosom of the
world. There was the dwelling of Tû the wizard, and fathomless
hollow are those places, but their doors have long been sealed and
none know now the entry.
2.2 WHAT IS CUIVIÉNEN?
The Book of Lost Tales I. Gilfanon’s Tale: The Travail of
Now we come to the concrete point of Cuiviénen as the Noldoli and the Coming of Mankind
a background setting for a campaign around the
awakening of the Elves. In the companion adventure to
this article (The Awakening of the Elves) there is a map
of how I imagine Cuiviénen. Let’s go into some detail.
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I think these quotes to be extremely vivid images caverns could be either a reference to Cuiviénen
which let us have a clear idea of Cuiviénen by the time of itself (but then I ask myself why it should be
the awakening of the Elves. called a “bay”) or to the Helcar Sea, faraway.
Anyway, some underground caverns should at
Let’s put it all together with the questions that arise:
least partially lay in Cuiviénen, to form the
1. Cuiviénen (or Koiviënéni) are literally the “Waters dwelling of Tû the Wizard.
of Awakening”. - One could imagine the “bay” as spacious and with
- I find it confusing whether this reference is many sandy beaches (like in the painting from
exclusively for the “water” or if it includes the Ted Nasmith), but also as a fjord or a Scottish
“valley” surrounding it. It may seem a little “Loch”. This fits to the description of Cuiviénen
matter, but my experience shows me that as surrounded by hills and with sheer cliffs, and
sometimes it is important to be able to define the could explain the “lake” feeling. I myself like the
PC’s “home”. When they say: “we run back to idea of the fjord.
Cuiviénen”, do they mean the valley where they - The sketch on the following page shows my view
dwell? Or actually the water itself? I myself of the Cuiviénen:
prefer the valley interpretation, so that
Cuiviénen is equivalent with “home”. 3. There are many waters that flow into Cuiviénen from
the heights to the east. There is one long and deep
2. “Lake” Cuiviénen is a bay in the inland sea of Helcar. waterfall, in the likeness of a stair. This waterfall falls
- I think the “lake” appellation makes reference to steeply through a deep ravine.
the apparently separated nature of it, even if - The many waters that flow into Cuiviénen could
there actually is an open connection between it all come separately to the lake, but I think there
and the Sea of Helcar. It could be just an optical is enough material to suppose that they meet
image by the hills that “close” the lake from the before, forming the main watercourse for the
Helcar Sea. The reference of the underground stair like waterfall.
 6
4. The hills that surround Cuiviénen are steep and full shadows that no elven sight can pierce, as a stain in the
with mighty rocks. fabric of reality. Some of them are small, like the shadow
of a fern or a tree, or big as to cover a whole forest or the
5. These hills are covered with pinewoods. shadow of a mountain.
- The Gamemaster should determine how The Sea of Helcar is depicted in the map from The
complete the forest cover of Cuiviénen is. Shaping of Middle-earth, were its location and size is
Pinewoods are dense and dark. evident. The origin of this great inland sea lies in the ruin
of the northern Lamp of the Valar. There are two
I like to think that there should also be plenty of open versions of the myth of the Two Lamps: that of the
places to look into the stars or out over the lake. Grasses Silmarillion and another (older one) from The
and ferns would cover the grounds of Cuiviénen outside Ambarkanta.
the pinewoods. …the Inland Sea of Helcar; and that sea stood where aforetime
the roots of the mountain of Illuin had been before Melkor
2.3 THE WORLD AROUND CUIVIÉNEN overthrew it. Many waters flowed down thither from heights in
In a campaign set around the time of the Awakening the east...
of the Elves, the characters are almost predestined to The Silmarillion. Of the Coming of the Elves and the
explore the world around Cuiviénen. I also presume that Captivity of Melkor
they would not go very far from this place (let alone
reach the four corners of the world), so the relevant I take the Silmarillion version as the valid one (see
territory for such a campaign is the quite limited region above for this). But I include the version from the
around Cuiviénen in the northeast corner of Middle- Ambarkanta here for scholarly reasons, and because it
earth. includes a visual description of its nature, as follow.
The world lies in a heavy dusk, illuminated only by Aulë at the prayer of Yavanna wrought two mighty lamps for the
starlight. The Quendi awake under the stars and they see lighting of the Middle-earth which he had built amid the
in starlight as we do in daylight. But dark storm clouds encircling seas. Then Varda filled the lamps and Manwë hallowed
come down from Utumno time and again, and the world them, and the Valar set them upon high pillars, more lofty far
turns dark then, even to the eyes of the Elves. Then the than are any mountains of the later days. One lamp they raised
only lights are those of the storm’s thunderbolts and the near to the north of Middle-earth, and it was named Illuin; and
eruptions of far-off Volcanoes. the other was raised in the south, and it was named Ormal […]
[Melkor] assailed the lights of Illuin and Ormal, and cast down
…there is a deep twilight upon the world, for the Gods have their pillars and broke their lamps. In the overthrow of the mighty
gathered so much of that light that had before flowed about the pillars lands were broken and seas arose in tumult; and when the
airs. Seldom now falls the shimmering rain as it was used, and lamps were spilled destroying flame was poured over the Earth.
there reigns a gloom lit with pale streaks or shot with red where
The Silmarillion. Of the Beginning of Days
Melko spouts to heaven from a firetorn hill.
The Book of Lost Tales I. The Chaining of Melko
And he set up these great pillars north and south of the Earth’s
There are still many active volcanoes as leftovers from middle yet nearer to it than the chasm; and the Gods placed lamps
the time when Melkor struggled with the Valar for upon them and the Earth had light for a while.
supremacy over Arda in the deeps of time. But these fiery But the pillars were made with deceit, being wrought of ice; and
mountains are far away from Cuiviénen. The characters they melted, and the lamps fell in ruin, and their light was
can see some of them far off over the horizon, but they’d spilled. But the melting of the ice made two small inland seas,
have to go far indeed to come in their vicinity. north and south of the middle of the Earth, and there was a
northern land and a middle land and a southern land. […]…the
In fact, some of these volcanoes could be a good target Sea of Helkar (which was the northern lamp) became an inland
for the characters to travel to if the Gamemaster wishes sea or great lake…
so. Besides there are always shadows, especially under
The Shaping of Middle-earth. The Ambarkanta
the pine canopies. These are not worse than normal
daytime shadows for us. But there are always black
 7

The version of the Ambarkanta includes icy waters In fact, the characters can reach their foothills without
pouring into the Helcar Sea, black waters and vapors that problems (time and exact distances are of no matter in
lay over them. So, I use the following explanation for a this age), and it is reasonable to say that they belong to
reconciliation of the two: Cuiviénen’s vicinity. In the mountains there are many
secret places to discover, and many rivers to follow to
… ‘great floods of water poured from [the Lamps] into the their roots. But to cross over the mountains is a feat few
Shadowy Seas’. And ‘so great was their thaw that whereas those
Quendi should be able to achieve. Over the top of the
seas were at first of no great size but clear and warm, now were
they black and wide and vapours lay upon them and deep shades,
mountains, they should be able to discern the Great
for the great cold rivers that poured into them’ (I.70). […] Eastern Sea on the horizon.And far to the north lies
Helcar remained the name of the Inland Sea ‘where aforetime the always Utumno, the dark fortress of Melkor. The Quendi
roots of the mountain of Illuin [the northern Lamp] had been (The characters will probably never see it, but its dark
Silmarillion p. 49)… presence should always be looming just beyond the
horizon and out of sight. Here originates all the suffering
The Shaping of Middle-earth. The Ambarkanta
[commentary] of the World, as the characters should sooner or later
learn. From Utumno come all the dark storms, the
The Icy Waters come from Utumno and the Iron shadows, the hunter and the corruption. Utumno lies
Mountains in the North. They flow into the Helcar Sea there, as an eternal antagonist to any story in Cuiviénen.
creating everlasting mists. The mists are further Even though Utumno is soon to marry the spring of the
increased by broken pieces of the North Lamp that lay in Quendi, their first days are full of joy and wonder, a small
the water bottom, increasing the heat of the deep waters. glimpse of what might have been possible, had Melkor
So, there is a permanent play of ice and warm waters that not rebelled and tried to become a master.
create a deep mist, mainly over the northern half. This
creates also drifting warm water currents over the shores
of the Helcar Sea. But there is also an important factor of 2.4 YAVANNA’S SLEEP: LIFE FORMS
sickness and corruption that pour forth from Utumno UNDER THE STARS
(mainly through the icy rivers, but also through other It is not a mere poetic image that the Quendi awake
veins). This creates bogs and black waters, poisonous in a world that seems to sleep. It is a magic sleep that
vapors that are home to monsters and corrupted beasts. Yavanna put on all plants and animals to protect them
These Lands of Shadows should not cover all the shores, from the shadow of Morgoth and preserve their life for
but a great part of the northern shore. In a long campaign the coming of the next great lights (the Moon and the
the characters could even see how this taint grows over Sun). This mythic sleep is described in many of Tolkien’s
time and the minor spirits (Maiar) succumb one after works.
another to the Shadow of Melkor.
It is also of note that this magic sleep is not absolute,
The Orocarni (Red Mountains) are one of these four and the Quendi in their wanderings begin to wake the
ranges, right to the east of Cuiviénen. The characters can creatures in their path. So, they find rabbits and deer and
always see them from Cuiviénen, extending South and boars that share their world. But this stays a local
northwards as far as one can see. phenomenon not applicable to the whole Middle-earth.
Here follow five quotes that all touch this theme, and the
…the thrusting aside of the land caused also mountains to appear
in four ranges, two in the Northland, and two in the Southland;
information that can be taken from each one.
and those in the North were the Blue Mountains in the West side, These “oldest living things” can very well be
and the Red Mountains in the East side; and in the South were interpreted as:
the Grey Mountains and the Yellow. But Melko fortified the North
and built there the Northern Towers, which are also called the - In the seas: Great weeds.
Iron Mountains, and they look southward. And in the middle land - On the earth: Great trees and Dark creatures old
there were the Mountains of the Wind, for a wind blew strongly and strong.
there coming from the East before the Sun…
The Shaping of Middle-earth. The Ambarkanta
 8
The creation of many other things might be gleaned from The next one is found in the same chapter:
another —very vivid— part speaking of Palúrien’s
‘the seeds that Yavanna had sown began swiftly to sprout and to
efforts: burgeon, and there arose
...all Middle-earth lay ina multitude
a twilightofundergrowing
the things great and
stars. While the
Alone in that age long gloaming she [Palúrien] sang songs of the small,
Lamps mosses and grasses
had shone, growth andbegangreat
thereferns,
whichandnow treeswaswhose tops
checked,
utmost enchantment, and of such deep magic were they that they were crowned
because all waswith cloud’,
again dark.andButthat ‘beaststhecame
already oldestforth andthings
living dwelt
floated about the rocky places and their echoes lingered for years in the grassy plains, or in the rivers and the lakes,
had arisen: in the seas the great weeds, and on earth the shadow or walked in
of time in hill and empty plain, and all the good magics of all the shadows of the woods’.
of great trees; and in the valleys of the night-clad hills there were
later days are whispers of the memories of her echoing song. dark creatures old andofstrong. To those
This was the Spring Arda; but after lands and forests
the coming the Valar
of Melkor and
Then things began to grow there, fungus and strange growths the delving of Utumno ‘green things fell sick and rotted,would
seldom came, save only Yavanna and Oromë; and Yavanna and
heaved in damp places and lichens and mosses crept stealthily walk were
rivers therechoked
in thewithshadows,
weeds andgrieving
slime, because
and fens theweregrowth and
made, rank
across the rocks and ate their faces, and they crumbled and made promise
and of the Spring
poisonous, of Arda place
the breeding was stayed.
of flies;And
andsheforests
set a sleep
grew upon
dark
dust, and the creeping plants died in the dust, and there was many things that had arisen in the Spring, so that
and perilous, the haunts of fear; and beasts became monsters of they should
mould, and ferns and warded plants grew in it silently, and not age,
horn andbut should
ivory and wait
dyedforthea earth
time ofwithawakening
blood’. thatThenyet should
came the
strange creatures thrust their heads from crannies and crept over be.
fall of the Lamps, and ‘thus ended the Spring of Arda’ (p. 37).
the stones. But Yavanna wept, for this was not the fair vigour that
After The Silmarillion.
the building Of the
of Valinor andComing of the
the arising of Elves
the Two andTrees
the
she had thought of [...] and thereupon Oromë came to her leaping Captivity of Melkor
‘Middle-earth lay in a twilight beneath the stars’ (p. 39), and
in the dusk, [...].
Yavanna and Oromë alone of the Valar returned there at times:
Then Oromë and Palúrien put forth all their might, and Oromë ‘Yavanna would walk there in the shadows, grieving because the
blew great blasts upon his horn as though he would awake the growth and promise of the Spring of Arda was stayed. And she set
grey rocks to life and lusty-head. Behold, at these blasts the great a sleep upon many things that had arisen in the Spring, so that
forest reared and moaned about the hills, and all the trees of dark they should not age, but should wait for a time of awakening that
leaf came to being, and the world was shaggy with a growth of yet should be’ (p. 47). ‘But already the oldest living things had
pines and odorous with resinous trees, and firs and cedars hung arisen: in the seas the great weeds, and on earth the shadow of
their blue and olive draperies about the slopes, and yews began great trees; and in the valleys of the night-clad hills there were
the centuries of their growth. dark creatures old and strong.’
The Book of Lost Tales I. The Chaining of Melko The Book of Lost Tales I. The Chaining of Melko
[commentary]
This may then be summarized as follows:
This quote can be seen as a conclusion to the one
1. Yavanna planted seeds over all of Middle-earth. mentioned before. It stresses the corruption of Melkor in
Middle-earth and the monsters and dark creatures that he
2. The magic of Yavanna’s song and Oromë’s horn live conceived.
in the echoes of Middle-earth.
1. Creatures: flies, beasts, monsters of horn and ivory.
3. Plants come into being: Fungus (Not a real plant of
2. Plants: they became sick and rotten; dark and
course, but close enough for these purposes), strange
dangerous forests
plant, lichens, mosses, creeping plants, mold, ferns,
warded plants. Great forests, trees of dark leaf, pines,
3. Rivers: choked with weeds and slime, rank and
resinous trees, firs, cedars, yews.
poisonous fens.
4. Creatures exist: Strange creeping creatures in the
4. Fear, violent death.
fissures.

5. It was not the full vigor that Yavanna wished (and that The Outer Lands are in darkness. The growth of things was
would come afterwards). checked when Morgoth quenched the lamps. There are forests of
darkness, of yew and fir and ivy. There Oromë sometimes hunts,
6. Yavanna walks and Oromë hunts in the faraway lands but in the North Morgoth and his demonic broods (Balrogs) and
of Middle-earth. the Orcs (Goblins, also called Glamhoth or people of hate) hold
sway.
The Shaping of Middle-earth. The Earliest ‘Silmarillion’
 9

So, here we find:

unpeopled, but came forth seeking Palúrien, and she gave him
1. Forests of darkness, of yew and fir and ivy. spells, and the seas began to gleam with fish or strange creatures
crawled at bottom; yet the shellfish and the oysters noone of Valar
2. Oromë hunts in the woods of Middle-earth. or of Elves knows whence they are, for already they gaped in the
silent waters or ever Melko plunged therein from on high, and
3. In the north is the Reign of Melkor: demonic broods pearls there were before the Eldar thought or dreamed of any gem.
(Balrogs) and Orcs. The Book of Lost Tales I. The Chaining of Melko
In all this time, since Morgoth overthrew the lamps, the Outer
Lands east of the Mountains of Valinor were without light. While So, the summary for this would be:
the lamps had shown growth began therein, which now was
checked because of the darkness. But the oldest of all things 1. Plants: forests, nightshade, bryony, holly, ilex, ivies,
already grew upon the world: the great weeds of the sea, and on trailing plants, weeds.
the earth the dark shade of yew and fir and ivy, and small things
faint and silent at their feet [and in their thicket’s dark creatures, 2. Animals: bats, owls, nightingales, nightjar, snakes,
old and strong]. In such forests did Oromë sometimes hunt… frogs.
The Shaping of Middle-earth. The Quenta
3. Seas: weeds, seagrowth. Fish, strange creatures,
Again, we find some familiar things: shellfish, oysters. Pearls.
1. “…the oldest of all things already grew upon the
world”. If we put all this together, we get quite a complete
- In the sea: great weeds. picture of the plants, creatures and monsters that the
- On the earth: yew, fir, ivy, small things faint, characters may encounter in Middle-earth under the
silent, and thickets. Sleep of Yavanna (and the Shadow of Melkor of course):
- Creatures: small things faint and silent, dark 1. Small plants: fungi, strange plants, lichens, mosses,
creatures old and strong. ferns, ivy, climbing plants, small things faint and
silent, nightshade, bryony, trailing plants, weeds (and
2. Oromë sometimes hunt in those forests. surely many types of grasses).

Finally, the last passage says: 2. In the seas: great weeds, sea-growth. Fish, strange
creatures, shellfish, oysters, Pearls.
Palúrien goes once more out over the Earth, and the forests
multiply and spread, and often is Oromë’s horn heard behind her 3. Great trees: trees of dark leaf, resin trees, pines, firs,
in the dimness: now do nightshade and bryony begin to creep cedars, yews, holly, ilex.
about the brakes, and holly and ilex are seen upon the earth. Even
the faces of the cliffs are grown with ivies and trailing plants for 4. Creatures: strange creeping creatures in the fissures,
the calm of the winds and the quietude of the sea, and all the flies, small things faint and silent, bats, owls,
caverns and the shores are festooned with weeds, and great
nightingales, nightjar, snakes, frogs.
seagrowths come to life swaying gently when Ossë moves the
waters.
5. Monsters: dark creatures old and strong, strange
[…] Bats and owls whom Vefantur set free from Mandos swooped creeping creatures in the fissures, monsters of horn
about the sky, and nightingales sent by Lórien from Valinor trilled and ivory, demons, Balrogs.
beside still waters. Far away a nightjar croaked, and in dark
places snakes that slipped from Utumna when Melko was bound
moved noiselessly about; a frog croaked upon a bare pool's border. To this compilation one should add the shadows of
[…] Ulmo desired not that the waters of the inner seas be longer Melkor (depicted in the accompanying adventure), the
Dark Hunter, the Fell Beasts (the flying steeds of the
Nazgûl from The Lord of the Rings), and the great wyrms
that would later be developed into dragons. In addition,
 10
we have Wargs, Werewolves and Vampires. To this also Ulmo and Irmo), the paths of magic from
are to be added all the demons and corrupted Maia spirits Yavanna and Oromë are those that are easier to
in the following of Melkor, the independent evil of the learn without the teachings of a master. If the
old dark entities (which Ungoliant mated in Nan characters try hard, they can hear the echoes of
Dungortheb afterwards) and the free and good Maia Yavanna in the trees, and the horn of Oromë far
spirits that preferred to stay in the Middle-earth under off in the hills.
the stars.
The spiders are a special case, since they could be said - Spirits: it is ordained that the Quendi never
to be the “daughters of Ungoliant”, and of which the meet Yavanna and Oromë before the
greatest is supposed to be spawned in the darkness of Nan predestined time, but they both roam the lands
Dungortheb after the death of the Two Trees in Valinor, of Middle-earth. Besides there are many
just before and after the coming of the Sun and the Moon. uncounted minor spirits all over Middle-earth:
in the rivers, the mountains, the winds. The
One could speculate about the lesser and common characters do not even need to notice them, but
ones, if they come from Ungoliant, and if they existed they are there.
before the episode of Valinor. The Gamemaster should
decide whether he deems such preexisting spawn of - Corrupted life: in many places the rivers flow
Ungoliant fitting or not. foul, poison is in the air, life is corrupted and
Giants are among those creatures that could be darkness reigns. It is the Shadow of Melkor.
present at this time, but then they should have no
language, and most surely still slumber as part of the
mountains, to be awoken by curious Elves. For a visual This leads directly to the next point.
depiction, the Stone Giants from the first The Hobbit
movie might provide ideas, even if not of such a massive
size. 2.5 MARRING OF ARDA (THE
On the other hand, the whole of creation is almost SHADOW OF MORGOTH)
fully wrought, and all kinds of creatures must exist One element holds a key role in Tolkien writings.This
somewhere, shielded by the Sleep of Yavanna and is the Shadow of Melkor that taints the whole creation.
awaiting the coming of the Sun (or of the Elves). This taint permeates the very essence of reality and is
Finally, there are such magic effects that just are, and known to the Gamemasters of the Free People as the
that the Gamemaster should keep in mind. Marring of Arda.
- Yavanna’s Sleep: all of creation “sleeps” under The following two passages illustrate this struggle and
the stars. Vegetative growth continues, but at a marring very well:
very slow pace; flowers do not blossom until the
rising of the Sun. For animals it works as a long And though the Valar knew naught of it as yet, nonetheless the
winter sleep; the only things that can wake them evil of Melkor and the blight of his hatred flowed out thence, and
is the curiosity of the Elves or the disturbance of the Spring of Arda was marred. Green things fell sick and rotted,
Melkor and its taint. and rivers were choked with weeds and slime, and fens were made,
rank and poisonous, the breeding place of flies; and forests grew
- The Seeds of Yavanna: life is in a latent state, dark and perilous, the haunts of fear; and beasts became monsters
it waits for the time when it will sprout in all its of horn and ivory and dyed the earth with blood.
glory. Then it will literally explode, covering The Silmarillion. Of the Beginning of Days
even the most broken places.

- The Echoes of Yavanna and Oromë:

besides the early magic paths (see my magic
system in Issues 10 and 13 of Other Minds for
more information on this) of the Quendi (Varda,
 11

…they [the Valar] built lands and Melkor destroyed them;

valleys they delved and Melkor raised them up; mountains they But what kind of corruption came into the world? The
carved and Melkor threw them down; seas they hollowed and last quotes give a good view of it, but one should know
Melkor spilled them; and naught might have peace or come to
Great might was given to him [Melkor] by Ilúvatar, and he was
lasting growth, for as surely as the Valar began a labour so would
coëval with Manwë. In the powers and knowledge of all the other
Melkor undo it or corrupt it. And yet their labour was not all in
Valar he had part, but he turned them to evil purposes, and
vain; and though nowhere and in no work was their will and
squandered his strength in violence and tyranny. For he coveted
purpose wholly fulfilled, and all things were in hue and shape
Arda and all that was in it, desiring the kingship of Manwë and
other than the Valar had at first intended, slowly nonetheless the
dominion over the realms of his peers.
Earth was fashioned and made firm. And thus, was the habitation
of the Children of Ilúvatar established at the last in Deeps of Time From splendour he fell through arrogance to contempt for all
and amidst the innumerable stars. things save himself, a spirit wasteful and pitiless. Understanding
he turned to subtlety in perverting to his own will all that he
The Silmarillion. Ainulindalë
would use, until he became a liar without shame. He began with
About the primal violence of Melkor: the desire of Light, but when he could not possess it for himself
alone, he descended through fire and wrath into a great burning,
Melko who long time had delved in fear because of the wrath of down into Darkness. And darkness he used most in his evil works
the Valar at his treacherous dealing with their lamps burst forth upon Arda, and filled it with fear for all living things.
now into a great violence, for he had thought the world
The Silmarillion. Valaquenta
abandoned by the Gods to him and his. Beneath the very floors of
Ossë he caused the Earth to quake and split and his lower fires to
the nature of Melkor to understand it:
mingle with the sea. Vaporous storms and a great roaring of
uncontrolled sea-motions burst upon the world, and the forests The shadow of Melkor mostly is violent and majestic,
groaned and snapped. The sea leapt upon the land and tore it, but it can also appear subtle and ever present. The
and wide regions sank beneath its rage or were hewn into scattered shadow of Melkor creates monsters of horn and hate,
islets, and the coast was dug into caverns. The mountains rocked fires and storms sweep over Middle-earth, and darkness
and their hearts melted, and stone poured like liquid fire down and vapors cover his realm. But fear and corruption are
their ashen sides and flowed even to the sea, and the noise of the
also present, lies and delusions.
great battles of the fiery beaches came roaring even through the
Mountains of Valinor and drowned the singing of the Gods. So, we have the following effects of the shadow of
—The Book of Lost Tales I. The Chaining of Melko Melkor and the marring of Arda:
12

- Monsters: of horn and ivory, winged beasts, permanent feeling of menace and an unseen but
wyrms, demons. Almost every kind of natural perceivable threat.
creature can be transformed by the shadow of
Melkor. The Gamemaster can design any kind of - Falseness: Melkor is able to put lies and fears in
monster he deems reasonable. the hearts of the Quendi through spies and
shape-changers. These creatures are perfect to
- Dangerous plants: many plants under the be used if the Gamemaster wants to play the
shadow of Melkor end up poisonous (to eat, to social interactions of the players. It should be a
touch, to breath) and/or with damaging thorns. great achievement to actually discover one of
Such plants are a passive danger, and tend to these spies and its falsehoods in the game.
make players aware of their natural
surroundings. Huorns are a special case, and Evil has many faces, and it is up to the Gamemaster to
walk the line between normal plant life and design new forms of how the Shadow of Melkor
monsters. manifests itself in his story.

- Hostile surroundings: in some places the As a side note one should remark that not all of
very earth seems to be malicious to the Middle-earth is under the darkness of Melkor. His distant
characters. Slippery footing, grabbing branches, shadow falls over all parts, but the stronger deeper
thick brambles, blocked paths, falling stones, shadows with perceivable results like the ones mentioned
impassable marshes, inconvenient chasms, above, are concentrated in the northern parts.
buzzing flies… all of them should offer increased Accordingly, most of Middle-earth is still “free”, as
difficulties to skills, and fumbles should cause Oromë and Yavanna work to undo the damage.
physical damage. There are a few holy places, of which in this kind of
campaign only Cuiviénen is of special note, on which the
- Scenic violence: lightning storms, hail, Shadow of Melkor cannot overcome the designs of Eru
chocking vapors and volcanic eruptions are all Ilúvatar, the Almighty. That means that Cuiviénen stays
majestic and full of danger to the characters. a safe place for the Quendi, where no darkness can come.
They are rare enough (and not present at all in Any concrete intrusion in it should always be a special
Cuiviénen) to be exceptional, but they can case as part of the greater story.
always appear unforeseen and endanger the
player characters.
2.6 ABOUT THE BROKEN SYMMETRY
- Corruption: poisonous rivers, rotting trees, OF THE WORLD
sickness… all that is part of the shadow of
Melkor. Even if the characters do not realize In The Shaping of Middle-earth (HoMe 5) there are
this, these are in fact all manifestations of the two maps that depict the form of Middle-earth in the
spiritual corruption of the spirits of the earth, Elder Days (in the following image I present simplified
and a very “outward” war of Melkor for versions).
dominion over the very nature of Middle earth. The following map can be used as the geographical
To follow this narrative path can lead to very background for any kind of adventures in the time of the
interesting but outlandish adventures. In this Awakening of the Elves, and is a great resource for this
stage corruption of the characters should be a kind of campaigns. However, I want to point to some
mere side effect. difficulties in it.

- Fear and darkness: these at least should be

eternal themes in the twilight life of Cuiviénen.
Menacing shadows that look out of every tree,
fear of the darkness: all of it should build up to a
 13

and the permanent disturbances of Melkor in all their

The extremely close symmetry of the Eastern and Western lands as works. Although Melkor changed all the designs of the
displayed on map IV is striking; the chief departure from symmetry Valar, it is told how Melkor did escape from the fury of
being the difference in shape of the great Seas, and this was due Tulkas and the Valar were finally able to finish their
to the eastward thrusting or ‘crowding’ of Middle-earth – ‘so that
design and then rest from their labors. They made for
it was bended’ – at the time of the making of Valinor and the
raising of its protective mountain chain. This more than titanic themselves a home in an island in the middle of Middle-
crushing of the newmade world was the origin of the great earth, built the Two Lamps (northwards and southwards)
mountain ranges of Middle-earth, the Blue, the Red, the Yellow and the first Spring of Arda came into being. So, we can
and the Grey. assume that in that time Middle-earth was symmetric.
The map in question gives us a good image of how the
The Shaping of Middle-earth. The Ambarkanta
[commentary] world was in that time.

In theory this map reflects the order of the world at But then Melkor came back from the Outer Dark and
the time of the Awakening of the Firstborn, after the fall overthrew the Lamps.
of the Two Great Lamps and the creation of Valinor. The In the overthrow of the mighty pillars’ lands were broken and seas
world is still “symmetric”, with a curvature of Middle- arose in tumult; and when the lamps were spilled destroying flame
earth to the east. was poured out over the Earth. And the shape of Arda and the
There are the two great inland seas, six great symmetry of its waters and its lands was marred in that time, so
that the first designs of the Valar were never after restored.
mountain ranges (the Blue, the Red, the Yellow, the
Grey, the Iron Mountains and the Mountains of the The Silmarillion. Of the Beginning of Days
Wind), Utumno/Angband and Hildórien.
So, this is the first cataclysm of Middle-earth and a
The first thing that comes into view is the artificially- moment of such vast destruction that “the symmetry of
looking symmetry of Middle-earth, clearly a design of the its waters and its lands was marred”. The map in question
Valar. As already told above the Valar made the world
 14
depicts the world (and Middle-earth) at the time of the Valar retreat to Aman in the West. They try to salvage
Awakening of the Elves. Here we come to the first what is to be saved from their original design, but their
problem with the map, since (in my opinion) it stays main objective is to build (and fortify) their new home in
definitively symmetric in its basic design. the West. As part of this fortification, they pushed
Middle-earth eastward, bending it so that the sea to
It is worth it to say that the map predates this
Valinor was now great, as a defense from Melkor. This
development in the mythology of Middle-earth. So, even
if it should take into account the basic concepts and is to bending of Middle-earth can be clearly seen in the map
be considered the only authorized image of Middle-earth to the right.
at this time, it is not wholly compatible with the words The next great cataclysm came just after the
of The Silmarillion. Awakening of the Elves, in the Great War against
Utumno that followed, to protect the Quendi from the
As I already said it stays a matter of choice by the
evil of Melkor.
Gamemaster. I myself use the late information as guide
and extrapolate it on the map. I choose to consider the But the symmetry of the ancient Earth was changed and broken in
map as an inaccurate depiction of Middle-earth by a late the first Battle of the Gods, when Valinor went out against
cartographer, using correct—but probably Utumno, which was Melko’s stronghold, and Melko was chained.
incomplete—information (from the Valar and traded by Then the sea of Helkar (which was the northern lamp) became an
the Elves?) but failing to condense all this into an accurate inland sea or great lake, but the sea of Ringil (which was the
map. southern lamp) became a great sea flowing northeastward and
joining by straits both the Western and Eastern Seas.
In the cataclysm following the destruction of the Two
The Shaping of Middle-earth. The Ambarkanta
Lamps Ilmaren, the isle of the Valar, is destroyed and the
 15

Note how in this quote it is called “the first Battle of time, altering the mythological background of the Elder
the Gods”. The first war of the Powers at the Creation Days.
didn’t come into the mythology yet.
A good summary of this version is the following:
It would seem that the vast cataclysm following the
destruction of the Two Lamps did not yet achieve the The fundamental difference between C* and C lies in this, that in
magnitude described in The Silmarillion, limited to the C* the Sun is already present from the beginning of Arda (see the
italicised passages in §24 on p. 40), and the origin of the Moon,
eastward bending of Middle-earth and the creation of the
similarly ‘demythologised’ by removal from all association with
two great Inner Seas, even if in the corresponding quote the Two Trees, is placed in the context of the tumults of Arda’s
The Book of Lost Tales speaks about great destruction making. It seems strange indeed that my father was prepared to
along the coasts of Middle-earth, and how great conceive of the Moon, the Moon, that cherishes the memory of the
extensions of land were broken, sunken and/or parted in Elves (V.118, 240), as a dead and blasted survival of the hatred
numerous islands. of Melkor, however beautiful its light. In consequence, the old
legend of the Lamps was also abandoned…
Long and grievous was the siege of Utumno, and many battles
were fought before its gates of which naught but the rumour is Morgoth’s Ring.Ainulindalë – commentary on version C*
known to the Elves. In that time the shape of Middle-earth was
changed, and the Great Sea that sundered it from Aman grew wide For anybody who wants to use this version for his
and deep; and it broke in upon the coasts and made a deep gulf adventures at the time of the Awakening of the Elves, he
to the southward… must take into account such questions as solar light,
clouds and the location of Utumno.
The Silmarillion.Of the Coming of the Elves and the
Captivity of Melkor [Note 6] ‘The glooms and the clouds dimming the sun and the
stars’: an explicit reference, it seems, to some form of the changed
The Inland Sea of Ringil disappeared after the war of astronomical myth adumbrated in Text II of the section ‘Myths
Utumno, engulfed by the sea and straits uniting the Transformed’ in Morgoth’s Ring. In that text my father raised the
Western and Eastern Seas, and separating Middle-earth question ‘how can the Eldar be called the “Starfolk”?’ if the Sun
from the Dark Lands in the south. The great southward is ‘coeval with the Earth’ (X.375); and proposed a complex story
gulf (as seen in Map V) is also said to be created in this (X.3778) in which the darkening of the world by Melkor, who
second cataclysm. brought up vast glooms to shut out all vision of the heavens, is a
chief element.
But then: how can we imagine the form of the land
between the destruction of the Two Lamps and the War The War of the Jewels. Quendi and Eldar
of Utumno, at the time of the Awakening of the Elves? I
think it best to visualize it as a middle point between Map - At this time Middle-earth is covered by "vast
IV and Map V. Note that this is not a complete glooms".
geographic treatise of the Elder Days; a deeper analysis - These glooms hide the sky.
and the making of elaborate cartographic maps is still a - This cloud cover is so thick as to dim the light of
work to do, maybe by specialists like the Mapping Arda the sun.
crew (see Other Minds, Issues 1 and 2 for more on this).
It was still night and clouds were in the sky. But before dawn a
wind came, and roused the elfmen, and they woke and were
amazed at the stars; for all the clouds were blown away and the
2.7 THE PROBLEM OF THE SUN AND stars were bright from east to west. And for a long time, the
THE MOON eighteen new Quendi took no heed of the others, but looked at the
lights of Menel.
As will be apparent from my accompanying
The War of the Jewels.Quendi and Eldar (Appendix)
adventure, I prefer the starlight world from the
Silmarillion tradition. But anybody who did read - The Quendi awoke under starlight.
Morgoth’s Ring (HoMe 10) and The War of the Jewels - The heavens were free of glooms at this time.
(HoMe 11) knows that there is an alternative version
where the Sun and the Moon are already there at this So, we can assume that the thick glooms (clouds and
volcano ashes) that covered Middle-earth at the time
 16
were broken by the winds of Manwë and the Magic of This is a profound parting from the earlier mythology,
Varda (here I talk about the essence of these Valar as edited together into The Silmarillion. First, it is so that at
independent of their Will, since the Valar at this time that time all evil came from the Moon (not from the
knew nothing of the awakening of the Elves). North), and this Moon soared lower than it does today.
Something that the Gamemaster should ask himself is Since Melkor “could observe thence all that happened
how he imagines daylight in this time: is it full sunlight? below”, I think it logic to place it under the cloud cover,
Or is it a deep gloom scarcely brighter than under the coming into it if Melkor willed it so. So, it could always
light of the stars? be seen, except when Melkor wished it not.
In the first case we could assume that the cloud It is also possible (is it?) once the awakening place of
covering changes over the flow of days (so as it does in the Elves was discovered that Melkor placed the Moon
our real world), in a permanent fight between the wills over Cuiviénen so as to have a better look at it. In such a
of Manwë and Melkor, so that the sun and the stars are case it would be useful to ask if the Moon could hover or
sometimes visible, but other times are hidden behind a if it must be in perpetual movement.
dark mass of clouds and ashes. In this quote the Moon seems to be the main
In the second case we should assume that the glooms stronghold of Melkor. Did it become the new Utumno?
of Melkor cover the whole Middle-earth, with no way to Or had Utumno survived as a secondary fortress of
see the face of the Sun. Melkor in the North?
In such a scenario, it is the magic of Varda and the This can have a profound impact in any campaign
sanctity of the waking place of the Elves that makes that from the moment the characters begin to explore the
each night the heavens over Cuiviénen become free of wide world. And it will also have profound consequences
clouds, with bright starlight coming through. In such a in any attempt to rescue their fellow Quendi from the
scenario, it is just a matter of time that the spies of dungeons of Utumno, or if they want to send an embassy
Melkor find the waking place of the Elves. to the Lord of the Night. And it will have a great impact
About the Moon: on the way the War of Utumno is to be fought, when the
time is ripe for it.
But this [annihilating the Earth] Melkor could not do, for the So, I think this is not an idle question for those
Earth may not be wholly destroyed against its fate; nevertheless, Gamemasters who choose to follow the tradition of
Melkor took a portion of it, and seized it for his own, and rift it Morgoth’s Ring.
away; and he made it a little earth of his own, and it wheeled
round about in the sky, following the greater earth wheresoever it
went, so that Melkor could observe thence all that happened
Daniel Vacaflores
below, and could send forth his malice and trouble the seas and
shake the lands. And still there is rumour among the Eldar of the
war in which the Valar assaulted the stronghold of Melkor,
and cast him out, and removed it further from the Earth,
and it remains in the sky, Ithil whom Men call the Moon. There
is both blinding heat and cold intolerable, as might be looked for
in any work of Melkor, but now at least it is clean, yet utterly
barren; and nought liveth there, nor ever hath, nor shall. And
herein is revealed again the words of Ilúvatar; for Ithil has become
a mirror to the greater Earth, catching the light of the Sun, when
she is invisible; and because of malice silver has been made of gold,
and moonlight of sunlight, and Earth in its anguish and loss has
been greatly enriched.
Morgoth’s Ring.Ainulindalë (Ainulindalë C*)
 17

3.0 THE AWAKENING OF THE 3.1.1 BACKGROUND

ELVES Mandos spoke, and he said: ‘In this age the Children of Ilúvatar
This is the follow-up, actual adventure for the shall come indeed, but they come not yet. Moreover, it is doom
Cuiviénen setting. Vaco has provided us with a really that the Firstborn shall come in the darkness, and shall look first
unusual but nonetheless creative and fascinating setting, upon the stars. Great light shall be for their waning. To Varda
ever shall they call at need.’
far away from the usual campaigns set in the Third Age
(or occasionally 1st, 2nd or 4th Age). Here you can Then Varda went forth from the council, and she looked out from
participate in the very beginning of the Elves, a truly the height of Taniquetil, and beheld the darkness of Middle-earth
unique setting and idea indeed beneath the innumerable stars, faint and far. Then she began a
great labour, greatest of all the works of the Valar since their
NB: first edtion of this scenario (Other Minds #14) was a coming into Arda. She took the silver dews from the vats of
multisystem adventure, icluding MERP, MEAG and BASH Telperion, and therewith she made new stars and brighter against
systems. However, game informations are only associated with the coming of the Firstborn[.]
MERP system in this fan-MERP module. The Silmarillion. Of the Coming of the Elves and the
Captivity of Melkor [To be read after character creation]

3.1 INTRODUCTION The world lies in The Sleep of Yavanna, a magical

state where all plants and animal life “sleep”, waiting for
“The Chronicles of Cuiviénen is a mini-campaign for the appearance of the new lights. The world is
Chronicles of Middle-earth, presented at the roleplaying illuminated by starlight alone.
convention “Mittelerde Con” in WeisskirchenRodgau (Germany),
from September 17 and 18 2011. This adventure is designed to The Valar have long ago removed themselves
be played by 1 to 7 players with or without experience, in a westward to Valinor in the continent of Aman. Of the
single session of approximately 5 hours, with the possibility of great Valar only Yavanna and Oromë go to Middle-earth.
continuing with a second part the next day. As a supplement to Middle-earth is under the shadow of Melkor and his
this first adventure, sheets (a character sheet and the revised servants and creatures.
basic rules) are supplied that allow to play without problems the It is in this context that the Elves awake, the precise
simplified version of Chronicles of Middle-earth, adapted to this date unknown to the Valar, and discover the wonders of
scenario. Middle-earth. It is here that this adventure begins.
This campaign is also closely related to [an] “Adventure in
Cuiviénen”, there are several text-boxes with quotes from
Tolkien. These boxes are intended as background information to Theme: The awakening of the Elves by Lake
the setting, and the Gamemaster should read them at the right Cuiviénen.
time, marked at the end of these boxes. The extent of these quotes
is intended to be short, so as not to hinder the flow of play.”
Main goal: To survive the Shadows of Morgoth.
Daniel Vacaflores - Other Minds #14

Secondary goals: To explore Cuiviénen. Get to

know the Ents. To try out their own skills.

3.1.2 SCHEMATIC GUIDE

Playing time: aproximatively 5 hours, including
character creation process. This includes a sequence of
actions without wasting time on minor details, but with
some ease in the actions of the PCs.
 18
Should there be no time pressure, the Gamemaster disadvantages; it is advisable to use these DP to
may develop subplots at ease, carried away by the individualize your character and give it that “special
imagination of the Pcs. In this case you should plan for touch”: for purposes of game play treat the characters as
two or three sessions of play to complete the adventure. level 1, although they are effectively still level 0 (i.e.
stuck in adolescent development).
In the latter case, the Gamemaster should pay
particular attention to repetition and having additional In the simplified version it is not necessary to choose
material at hand to be able to handle thematic variations the tribe of awakening (Minyar, Tatyar or Nelyar). The
not included in this core adventure. full version will offer guidance on this matter. In the
simplified version this effect can be achieved by defining
The following table gives an overview of the
to which of the three Elven princes (Imin, Tata, Enel)
approximate time spent for the various parts during
they feel closer. In any case it is important that if the PCs
roleplaying convention “Mittelerde Con”:
can choose their tribe in the process of character
Approx. creation, that there is the possibility of not joining any,
Task
Time and to wait with its decision until the next chapter. If the
Character creation 20 min Minyar, Tatyar and Nelyar are used, one of their intrinsic
Background (reading) 5 min
characteristics are their patrons of birth:
Scene One: “The Awakening” Minyar (Vanyar)  Varda;
Single act 20 min Tatyar (Noldor)  Aulë;
Scene Two: “Shadows in the Forest”
Nelyar (Teleri)  Ulmo.
First act 10 min
Second act 10 min All Minyar share the binding fate to leave for Valinor
Third act 30 min
when the time comes.
Interlude 10 min The biological age of the elves at the awakening is not
Scene Three: “The Dark Hunter” precisely defined, with a variable and subjective
First act 15 min] appearance that varies with the spiritual nature of each.
In practice this means that each player can choose the age
Second act 30 min
of his character. Apply the changes by age included in the
Third act 20 min
appendices.
Fourth act 30 min
Interlude 15 min
Heroic Option: If some players show interest in
playing any of the “great” elven princes, the Gamemaster
Epiloge (scene) 10 min
might consider such as an option. The cast of characters
Scene Four: “Steps of Fate”
to be considered include: Ingwë, Indis, Finwë, Míriel,
First act 45 min Mahtan, Rúmil, Elwë, Olwë, Cirdan and Lenwë (see
Interlude 10 min further down for a complete listing and a brief
Second act 10 min description of each). I recommend using this option only
Third act 15 min with very experienced players that are aware of the
Fourth act 10 min] following limitations:
Finish Protected by fate: These characters are protected
by fate. In case of “dying” in the game they shall survive
but will pass to be NPcs played by the Gamemaster.
3.2 INTRODUCING THE PCs Binding fate: These characters have a role in the
The PCs are Quendi of the first generation. They history of Middle-earth, and in some cases, they will be
“wake up”, and none of their skills are developed, so they required to take a predetermined course of action (such
do not get Advancement Points (AP) during character as leaving for Valinor following the invitation of the
creation. They only get their characteristics, weaknesses Valar). Perhaps in the future this means that they must
and derived attributes. In the full version they also get 5 withdraw from the daily events of Middle-earth, ending
Development Point (DP) to use in advantages and their career as PCs. This also means that if the
 19

Gamemaster believes that the actions of the Pcs do not (Minyar), Finwë (Tatyar) and Elwë, Olwë, Lenwë and
correspond with the personality of the character, that he Círdan (Nelyar) among others. Later Denethor (Nelyar)
has the authority to remove them from the game and play and Mahtan (Tatyar) appear. The next generations are
them as NPcs. still slow in coming. The Pcs belong to the first
Players have great freedom in playing these generation.
characters. But they must not forget that they are exalted The Elves find they have the gift of speech. They form
figures and the style of play should reflect the characters a community from the start, quickly developing their
as described by Tolkien. Should their characters ever social skills.
become NPcs then they must create new characters from In this first scene it is necessary to describe the
the second or subsequent generations, according to the “ethereal” nature of the world in the wake of the Elves’
situation within the story. awakening, under the stars of Varda Elentári. It is also
This alternative offers a great opportunity to enhance important to locate the PCs in this context and define
the social aspect of the adventure. While in the simplified their activities and preferences.
game there are moments of social interaction, with the To define their activities and preferences the
heroic option this aspect will become much more Gamemaster should ask the players to describe their
important. If the Gamemaster has enough time it is activities after their “awakening” and even make a list of
advisable to explore this possibility. their preferences. This serves two purposes: to describe
Long they dwelt in their first home by the water under stars, and
3.3 SCENE ONE: “THE AWAKENING” they walked the Earth in wonder; and they began to make speech
and to give names to all things that they perceived.
Players’ advancements: Areas of skill development and/or
Development Points. Themselves they named the Quendi, signifying those that speak
with voices; for as yet they had met no other living things that
The Pcs open their eyes and the first things they see spoke or sang.
The Silmarillion. Of the Coming of the Elves and the
It is told that even as Varda ended her labours, and they were
Captivity of Melkor
long, when first Menelmacar strode up the sky and the blue fire of
Helluin flickered in the mists above the borders of the world, in
the world and to assign advancements. The PCs get six
that hour the Children of the Earth awoke, the Firstborn of
Ilúvatar. By the starlit mere of Cuiviénen, Water of Awakening, free advancements to distribute over the skills they
they rose from the sleep of Ilúvatar; and while they dwelt yet silent prioritized (if the complete list of skills is used instead,
by Cuiviénen their eyes beheld first of all things the stars of then double that number).
heaven. Therefore, they have ever loved the starlight, and have This is not all though. The Gamemaster should take
revered Varda Elentári above all the Valar. this approach to describe factors relevant to the story
The Silmarillion.Of the Coming of the Elves and the such as the location of the forest, the waterfall or the
Captivity of Melkor name of the other elves. And to determine the interests
and shared experiences of the group. Especially the latter
are the stars, and they hear the waves on the shore of Lake is important.
Cuiviénen. The Firstborn just awoke in the world.
Note that this first scene covers a long and indefinite
Everything is new, and it seems like a dream. The period of time. It is the Awakening of the Elves under the
world waits under the Sleep of Yavanna. And somehow eternal starlight and without any way of measuring time.
time does not mean anything to the Elves. The prevailing It is entirely possible that if the characters choose to have
feeling is one of wonder. The elven ability to perceive a relationship, they may choose to have a child before the
both the material and the spirit world only gives an end of this scene. So, it does not really matter if finally,
ethereal logic to the whole. there is the impression of only a few days or even several
The Elves are more than one hundred (144 if the PCs years.
take the time to count). Among its princes are Ingwë
 20
Finwë (Tata): The leader of the tatyar elves. His
original name means “the second one”. His people will
become the Noldor. Finwë is a lover of knowledge and a
great crafter. He is completely curious about the world
in all its facets. He himself is a wise and patient leader,
but the lord of a very emotional and impatient people.

Míriel Serindë (Tatië): A female tatyarin elf of the

first generation, partner of Tata. She wakes as a young
lady, and it will take a long time before she and Tata bear
a child. She loves weaving.

Elven NPCs: Here are some elven NPCs to use if the

social interaction allows it. These are only brief
personality guides.

Important note: All the generational associations of Quendi

are speculative, since Tolkien gives us no positive evidence of the
ancient names characters (e.g. Finwë, Elwë etc.) belonging to a
specific generation. Especially the equation of the original three
elven leaders Imin, Tata and Enel with the named characters
Ingwë, Finwë and Elwë is debatable, but this is a scholarly debate
rather than an adventure. It would be a topic worth discussing in
a scholarly essay on the subject.

Ingwë (Imin): The leader of the minyar elves and

the first elf to “awake”. Actually, his original name
(“Imin)” means “the first one”. Ingwë is a later name. His
people (the minyar) will become the Vanyar. Imin is a
regal and charismatic leader, with great skill for arts, and
completely devoted to “the Lady of the Stars” (Varda).
Indis: A female minyarin elf of the first generation.
She wakes as a really young child and it takes time until
she comes to age. Rúmil: A tatyar elf of the first generation. He loves
knowledge and will become the archetype of
Gamemasters afterwards.
 21

3.4 SCENE TWO: “SHADOWS IN THE

Mahtan: A first generation tatyar elf. He is a great FOREST”
friend of Tata. He loves the earth and things made with
his own hands. He knows much and loves to teach those 3.4.1 First Act: “The Scream”
skills to other talented elves. At the next opportunity that all the PCs go to the
forest (for any reason; the Gamemaster may need to offer
one) on the way to their destination the PCs must make
Elwë (Enel) and his brother Olwë: The conjunct perception rolls1) until they perceive strange shadows in
leaders of the nelyar elves, they love the sound of water. the forest.
Enel is a charismatic leader with great empathy to his
people, even if haughty over certain things. Afterwards No matter how good the rolls, their perceptions are
they both will be torn between the love for Middle-earth always fleeting and not precise. It is more like an
and the promises of Valinor. uncomfortable feeling than something tangible.
At the same time the PCs can make appropriate rolls
to achieve their initial objective. If the PCs decide to
Círdan: A very wise nelya elf of the first generation, abandon their journey and escape, then the events will
he has a very special connection to water and the realm occur immediately.
of Ulmo. He stays always near the waters of Cuiviénen,
where he bathes, swims and learns the secrets of floating Then they hear clearly a scream of terror that is lost
things. He is foresighted and can look far into the future. in the distance. The PCs are
He has no love for war, but can act with determination if allowed a perception roll1) to determine the
the lives of others are at stake. direction of the scream, which is no more than a few
hundred meters away.

Lenwë: A first generation nelya. He loves Middle- The PCs must decide their course of action: to help
earth deeply, and afterwards will follow the call of the and/or investigate (continue with the Second Act) or to
Valar for love to his lords. But in the end his love of escape (go directly to the Third Act).
Middle-earth (and loath for Valinor) will win. He loves
water and trees with the same passion.
3.4.2 Second Act: “The Disappearance”
This event will be played only if the PCs decide to
Saeros: A nelya of the second generation, he is a
investigate the source of the scream.
sardonic and egocentric youngster.
With a medium perception roll (+0) they can identify
the direction and approximate location of the scream.
Daeron: A nelya of the second generation. An This is in a nearby ravine, about 200 or 300 meters away,
intelligent youngster, he loves music. He tends to stay with a small stream and a forest of pines especially thick
with his own people. and dark.
The PCs can use stalk/hide or any other precautions
Eöl: A very smart nelya of the second generation. He when approaching. Some of the approaches can be
loves hidden knowledge but keeps it for himself. He is problematical and require skill rolls. But in general, their
related to Elwë and Olwë. He is a very sarcastic closing in will not be contested.
youngster who does not care what others think of him. When approaching, those who achieve a perception
roll (25) feel (rather than see) a great shadow that flies
over them and soars away, momentarily covering the
stars.
 22
In the ravine there is nobody in sight. A medium track Of course, the PCs may opt for a heroic stance, and
roll (+0) finds traces of an elf walking alone in the can choose to face the Shadows instead of escaping. In
woods. A hard track roll (10) will follow the tracks until this first encounter there are two Shadows, a number that
they suddenly stop, take a step back and fall; there are no can be increased to a maximum of one shadow per
traces that go away (the elf froze in terror before character if the situation warrants.
“disappearing”). And finally, a track roll (25) finds a few
Physical attacks have little effect on Shadows since
barely visible traces of horseshoes. The PCs do not know
they are “insubstantial”, receiving a Damage Reduction of
what a horse is, so the Gamemaster should describe the
50% (ignore stun and bleeding results). But the use of
footprint without mentioning the words “horse” or
magic is effective, especially the holy light (Varda).
“horseshoe”. A perception (intuition) roll should give the
According to the PCs skill in using it, it could function as
PCs the feeling that this ravine has become a place of
an attack that ignores the DR of the Shadows. Light
terror.
magic: light law; -20 to resistance rolls of shadows and
And then, suddenly, they “feel” that they are they take double damage.
surrounded by shadows
If the PCs surpass the HPs of the Shadows, they will
be undone as shreds in the wind; but they have not died,
and the PCs fear that they will return.
3.4.3 Third Act: “The Shadows”
Remember that the Quendi do not know weapons
…by after-knowledge the wise declare that Melkor, ever watchful, yet, and the PCs may not possess one (hunting is done by
was first aware of the awakening of the Quendi, and sent shadows running, chasing down the animal and seizing it with their
and evil spirits to spy upon them and waylay them. […] the most own hands, for example). But that doesn’t mean that the
ancient songs of the Elves, of which echoes are remembered still in PCs can’t improvise. They can use their feet, hands, a
the West, tell of the shadow-shapes that walked the hills above stick or a rock/stone as weapons.
Cuiviénen, or would pass suddenly over the stars…
Even if the PCs can withstand the attacks from the
The Silmarillion. Of the Coming of the Elves and the
Captivity of Melkor
Shadows and defeat some of them, they will continue to
receive fear attacks each round. After losing all their
The PCs are surrounded by shadows, and feel how the Spirit Points (SP) they will end up immobilized by terror
fear begins to crawl up their backs, as something solid and will receive a Corruption Point (CP). It is assumed
caught up in their throat. The PCs are subject to one fear that the PCs must escape from the shadows and not vice
attack per round. Fear attacks are resolved as any other versa (and this should be encouraged), though the
type of attack: OB is applied for the Shadows, reduced Gamemaster should recognize partial successes, like
by the bonus for (IG + PR)/2, the damage is applied to defeating some Shadows. But even then, they will feel
the intelligence and presence points (IG and PR) of the followed on their way home.
attack. The damage is applied to the Spirit Points (SP) of
the character, with the consequences outlined in the
description of the Shadows.
The PCs can escape or face the Shadows. To escape
the PCs must make a M&M or athletics (running)
rolls (each round).
To keep the tension the players should not know the
target number; but they should know there is a success
number of Manoeuvre difficulty to escape out of the
forest and to reach Cuiviénen and the safety of their
brethren. This maneuver difficulty is -10 to -30,
according to the tension and the progress the PCs
achieve. Once the PCs are out of the forest, they are safe,
and realize that there are no more any “shadows” around.
 23

In the various game tests, the PCs adopted a heroic Gamemaster should increase the number of Shadows and
stance and managed to disastrously overcome the set them in different situations. But each time the PCs
Shadows. But they got many open rolls, while the will also be more prepared and experienced. This
Shadows’ attacks were minor. Perhaps this encounter has encounter is the only one in the simplified version.
a special karma, but the Gamemaster should not count
on it and be aware that the PCs may suffer severe wounds
or even casualties. 3.5 INTERLUDE: “SAFE”
Shadows of Melkor : The characters will be safe in the moment they come
Level 5, Speed = moderately fast; DB = 15; HP 50; without out of the forest. But they will have trouble explaining to
physical attacks; Fear attack +60 leads to paralysis when IG and the other Quendi what happened. For most of them it is
PR fall to 0; Vulnerabilities: light magic (20 to RRs; take double clear that the PCs are really scared and therefore
damage); Resistances physical attacks (only 50% of damage and something serious must have happened. But it will be
they ignore stun and bleeding results). hard to imagine “shadows” that prey on elves. After all
Once a victim’s IG and PR reaches 0, it receives 1 CP and will be they still do not know evil as such.
paralyzed with terror. In the next round it will be enveloped by its
But it soon becomes clear that some elves have
own shadow. And after three rounds this shadow becomes a
“Winged Shadow” enhanced by the spiritual energy of the victim.
become lost—forever. Rumors begin to grow, and they
With a successful perception roll the other PCs can see the victim begin to speak of the “Shadows” and later others may even
as a fetus, trapped in the “belly” of the Winged Shadow. Until the report of a “Dark Hunter and his horse”. And every time
last moment the other PCs can try to save him, but in the sixth more elves disappear. Everyone is afraid to go alone into
round it will disappear in the dark sky. the forest.
For this campaign in the beginning of time, a mythic If the Gamemaster wishes he can increase the tension
era, the Storyteller should allow really flashy magic use of this interlude and detail out the incredulity, sarcasm
(so long as they do not become impossibilities – únati). and fear of the other Quendi. Saeros for example (the
character who taunts Túrin in The Silmarillion) is fine for
During game testing really interesting uses of the impersonating a sarcastic youngster who makes fun of the
different paradigms of magic came about. And some PCs and their story. And do not forget the effect of the
were definitively unsubtle. spies and doppelgangers sent by Melkor to confuse the
elves.
Note on the language: It could be said that Elves know
3.4.4 Epilogue to the Scene nothing of “horses” or “riders” and so should not have
It is assumed that no PC will become a casualty in this words to name them. But they quickly develop their
scene. But it is also important that they do not be language, and those words come into being when they
“immortal” (i.e. still being subject to a forceful death). need to name the black rider and his horse.
And if one of them loses all its SPs and cannot be freed
by his comrades, then he will “disappear”, just one more
of the elves lost in the deep dungeons of Melkor. The 3.6 SCENE THREE: “THE DARK
player must create a new PC of the 2nd generation. This HUNTER”
will give the desired feeling that now and then “people
disappear”. The PCs probably have no desire to venture again into
the forest, away from the safety of Cuiviénen. It may be
The PCs receive one Skill Development Point (DP) as
a long time ago (several years) and the PCs (and their
a reward for surviving this encounter. In this simplified
children) may have grown up, and the PCs may have
system DPs are used to improve one Path of Magic in one
improved their skills. The Gamemaster will define
point.
whether this development is applied or if the sequence of
This encounter can be repeated several times if events is temporally closely connected.
necessary, so long as it is still interesting. The
 24
However, for the next scene it is important that the If the PC’s are not fast enough the Shadows will
PC’s venture into the forest again. To do this simply ask surround “Ingwë” in the end, who begins to fight for his
about their intentions for future activities. Should the life. This lasts until the PC’s get involved themselves and
PC’s be cautious and avoid venturing alone in the woods get a free round of attack. There are four Shadows
you can use the following trick of the “spy” of Melkor attacking “Ingwë”.
[First Act].
But the next round “Ingwë” will transform himself
into a Shadow, and will attack the PCs with a hideous
laughter. Meanwhile the Dark Hunter approaches from
3.6.1 First Act [optional]: “To the Rescue of the rear. In this second round the PC’s only have to fight
Ingwë” the four original Shadow plus the “Ingwë” Shadow, but it
The PC’s are together, and are sought out by a friend is clear that the next round they will be confronted by the
(Gamemaster choice how close), completely shaken with Dark Hunter.
fear. He tells them that Ingwë (or another character near
to the PC’s) has gone insane and decided to go alone into
the hills to show that he is not afraid of the Shadows or 3.6.2 Second Act: “Forest Hunt”
the Black Rider. But the messenger tells them he is mad
The PC’s are in the forest. An easy perception roll
and the shadows are going to get him. And the PC’s must
(+20) gives them the feeling that someone, or
find him before the Hunter does!
something, is on their trail. A difficult perception roll
With that the PC’s should jump and run after their (25) allows them to see the Black Rider on his horse in
friend. But the Gamemaster should know that Ingwë the distance.
never would be so crazy and that he is quite safe. The
messenger has seen an illusion or a doppelganger to lure So it came to pass […] that if any of the Elves strayed far abroad,
them into the forest. Cautious PC’s might first alone or few together, they would often vanish, and never return;
and the Quendi said that the Hunter had caught them, and they
investigate for Ingë and thus find out he has not left at all.
were afraid. And indeed, the most ancient songs of the Elves, of
In this case, he might have departed and the people tell which echoes are remembered still in the West, tell of […] the
them that “he has gone away on an errand” or something dark Rider upon his wild horse that pursued those that wandered
similar. Then, by coincidence, this fits with the timing to take them and devour them.
for the “crazy” Ingwë and the PC’s even with some
The Silmarillion.Of the Coming of the Elves and the
investigations are led to believe that he is really in
Captivity of Melkor
trouble.
Once the PC’s start the chase the action will take It should be clear to the PC’s that fighting is not best
place as described in the second act. But the Gamemaster option. If necessary, the Gamemaster should give out
should take into account the following observations, hints at tips to convince the PC’s of this. So begins a game
because the PC’s will not “forget” that they are actually of cat and mouse. The PC’s must make opposed
trying to save “Ingwë”. stalk/hide rolls against the Hunter’s perception. Soon
they will realize that it is better to sacrifice SP’s with their
If they take the time to make difficult outdoor skills light-footed talent to avoid leaving footprints, as the
25 track rolls, they will find no trace. But with normal hunter begins to track them (Lightfooted: non MERP
medium perception (+0) rolls, they will always see optional special elven movement skill  on stone = +0;
“Ingwë” in the distance. With additional perception rolls dirt = -10; mud/sand = -20; snow = -30 to -50.
the PC’s will perceive a group of “Shadows” stealthily
following “Ingwë”. This “hunt” should last only a few In this event the Gamemaster should be generous with
“rolls”, but long enough to penetrate deep into the forest. the bonuses for the actions of the PC’s. Allow fool’s luck
A number of M&M or athletic skills (running) rolls are in rolls (50/50) to put a stream or other barrier between
order. The Dark Hunter will join this “persecution” as the Hunter and the PCs. And allow athletics skills
described in the next act. (running or tumble) rolls so that they can escape at the
last moment.
 25

The Hunter is a formidable foe and not particularly 3.6.3 Third Act: “Battle of Titans”
susceptible to light magic. He is interested in capturing
the PC’s, so he will not use his spear, his bow or his They found that they were looking at a most extraordinary face.
It belonged to a large Manlike, almost Troll-like, figure, at least
horse’s hooves, but only his net (or a bola if, for example,
fourteen foot high, very sturdy, with a tall head, and hardly any
the PC’s climb the trees to escape). neck. Whether it was clad in stuff like green and grey bark, or
The PC’s will escape the Hunter only if they are able whether that was its hide, was difficult to say. At any rate the
to mislead him and flee. If they are unable to elude him, arms, at a short distance from the trunk, were not wrinkled, but
then they must finally face the Hunter. covered with a brown smooth skin. The large feet had seven toes
each. The lower part of the long face was covered with a sweeping
The Dark Hunter : Level 20 Speed = Horse’s grey beard, bushy, almost twiggy at the roots, thin and mossy at
speed (utilizes the M&M bonus of his horse); DB +40; the ends. But at the moment the hobbits noted little but the eyes.
HP 250 (to retreat); Attacks: black spear +100 (fumble These deep eyes were now surveying them, slow and solemn, but
range 1), Bow +50 (fumble range 1), Net +75 (fumble very penetrating. They were brown, shot with a green light.
range 12), Bola +50 (fumble 12); directed spells +50 The Lord of the Rings.Treebeard
and base spell OB +10 (knows all evil cleric base lists to
20th level); Noteworthy skills ride +75, perception
+75, track +75. [To be read at any moment the characters have the time to
look at Treebeard]
To cut the net with an edged weapon: DB 25, HP 50.
Strength roll (stat value not bonus) to break the net: -50. From the third round of combat onward, especially if
one or more PC’s are caught by the Dark Hunter, the
A victim of a successful entangle attack will be caught Gamemaster can introduce Treebeard (Fangorn) at any
in the net or bola. In his next action he may try to free time as a vigorous tree standing in the middle of the fight,
himself with an athletics (escape artist) roll, having to who decides to intervene on behalf of the PC’s. The only
close and the character will be drawn behind the horse. reason to delay the appearance of Treebeard is to give the
In the third round the Dark Hunter will raise him up PC’s a chance of their own heroic victory. In the—
on the net and hang him on the rump of his horse; to admittedly unlikely— case of the PC’s winning on their
escape he must exceed an athletics (escape artist) roll own, Treebeard will not intervene, staying still and
with double successes. Other PCs can try to cut the net watching until the PC’s realize his presence by noticing a
with an edged weapon (Def +5, HP 10). Whoever wants tree with eyes!
to try to cut the net is exposed to a hoof attack of the
black horse.
This encounter will be brief, maximum three rounds
The prisoner himself can try to cut the net, but will in duration, but capable of displaying both Treebeard and
need a small edged weapon; larger weapons cannot be the Hunter in all their fury.
used inside the net. He might also try a feat of strength
roll to break the net with their hands, but should exceed
+10 successes in one go or +20 in an extended roll. The PC’s will only see a tree, and how from one
Black Horse : Level 5 Speed = fast; DB +15; HP 250; moment to another a large branch with all its leaves “falls”
Attacks: hoof +40 (fumble range 1), bite +25 (fumble on the Shadows and/or the Black Rider. Splat! All that
range 1). remains of the Shadows is a cloud of dust. The Black
Rider instead will defend himself with everything and try
The fight should be conducted in the normal way, to destroy Treebeard.
including the five Shadows of the first act (if that is the
hook used). The next Act will begin after the capture of
the first PC. Both will attack with everything at their disposal.
Both are protected by fate, and none will die in this
encounter. But presumably the Hunter at some point will
be unhorsed. Then he will let out a whisper of hate and
 26
flee from the scene, leaving Treebeard and the PC’s Development Points for social skills). This water spring
alone. is a kind of primordial “Ent draught”.
Treebeard : [ignore data from I.C.E. Fangorn One of the fundamental experiences that the PC’s
module]: Level 20, Speed =medium; DB +25; HP 1500 should make with Treebeard (and the other Ents) is to
(protected by fate); Attack: fist +100 (fumble range 1); trying to talk to him. Eventually, this will lead them (as
Vulnerabilities fire (RRs -10 take 1.5x damage); knows Elves) to teach language to him (and the Ents in general).
all open channeling, animist and ranger lists to 20th level Depending on the actions of the PC’s it is possible that
directed spell OB +100, base spell OB +20. they do hear the first words from his wooden mouth, as
he begins to discover his abilities.
The remainder of their “visit” will proceed without
3.6.4 Fourth Act: “Treebeard”
Who calls you hobbits, though? That does not sound elvish to me.
Often afterwards Pippin tried to describe his first impression of
Elves made all the old words: they began it. […] Elves began it,
them.
of course, waking trees up and teaching them to speak and
‘One felt as if there was an enormous well behind them, filled up learning their tree-talk. They always wished to talk to everything,
with ages of memory and long, slow, steady thinking; but their the old Elves did ame slow care that it had given to its own inside
surface was sparkling with the present: like sun shimmering on the affairs for endless years.’
outer leaves of a vast tree, or on the ripples of a very deep lake. I
The Lord of the Rings. Treebeard
don’t know, but it felt as if something that grew in the ground –
asleep, as you might say, or just feeling itself as something between any news. Treebeard flatly refuses to accompany the
roof-tip and leaf-tip, between deep earth and sky had suddenly PC’s into Cuiviénen for their protection. For some
waked up, and was considering you with the same slow care that
reason he knows that this is not his fate.
it had given to its own inside affairs for endless years.’
The Lord of the Rings. Treebeard The PC’s can stay with Treebeard so long as they
want, hence the next interlude and epilogue can be
[To be read after the characters had the opportunity to talk played directly afterwards, or extended temporally.
to Treebeard]
At the end of this scene the PC’s receive one DP in
Suddenly the fight is over and the PC’s realize a the paradigm of “plants, earth, fertility and animals”
couple of black eyes wide and deep as a well that look at (Yavanna). Listen to the voice of plants: non-MERP
them from the trunk of the tree. It watches them and says optional special elven language skill.
nothing. A perception rolls or detection spells from the
Animist and Ranger lists is enough to assure the PC’s that
its intentions are not evil, but show curiosity and
3.6.5 Interlude: “Tree Shepherds”
kindness.
At the Gamemaster’s discretion, the following events
It is extremely important that the Gamemaster
may be played directly after the Scene Two. It is designed
stresses the silence of Treebeard in his play, while
as a longer process parallel to the rest of the adventure
expressing his sincere curiosity. This should be achieved
proper.
with nonverbal reactions to the approaches of the PC’s.
1. Treebeard is curious about the world. Out of
Treebeard has “just” awoken in the world, amid the
affection for the PC’s he may remain a while in one
Sleep of Yavanna. He has spent these entire “years” silent,
place. But his wandering nature will eventually set
listening to the wind in the pines, the sound of roots and
him off to seek new horizons. This means that to
worms in the earth, and watching the stars.
maintain contact the PC’s (and other Quendi NPCs,
Should a PC be injured or knocked unconscious in the such as Lenwë) must travel ever increasing distances
previous fight, he will lift him carefully and with and discover new paths. But because of their fate the
rhythmic strides take him to a nearby water spring. There center of action of the PC’s should never leave
he will immerse him until he wakes up and takes a deep Cuiviénen as the time of separation among the
breath. His wounds are not completely healed, but the Quendi has not yet come. In this first chapter
worst marks from the Shadows have disappeared (Skill Treebeard will not wander too far from Cuiviénen.
 27

But in a long campaign this is the perfect opportunity of the Ents, and learning to listen to the voice of
to introduce new adventures to the PCs. plants, possibly with a DP in the paradigm of Yavanna
2. At some point the PC’s will meet other Ents. (Listen to the voice of plants: non-MERP optional
Treebeard will normally be the one to show them, special elven language skill)). This should be a gradual
though the PC’s might be able to perceive them with process, parallel to the central plot.
rolls in the magic of plants (Yavanna), perception rolls 5. Treebeard will always be an ally of the PC’s (if they
or detection spells from the Animist and Ranger lists. do not do something to earn his enmity), and next to
Some are still asleep, while others have already him they can travel safer in the woods. But Treebeard
awakened. The activity of this disperse society should is not everywhere, and the shadow of Melkor slowly
also provide many adventure opportunities. spreads further.
3. At this time also appear the first Huorns. Their malice
is part of their nature because of the taint of Melkor.
At first, they are all awake due to the eagerness of the 3.6.6 Epilogue (to the Scene): “Farewell to
Quendi and Ents to awaken more Ents. The Huorns Treebeard”
are dangerous in the absence of other Ents, and even Treebeard is seeking to protect his own people. He
then, they can take them by surprise. must seek Yavanna (“the Earth Mother”) to learn how to
4. Language learning. The Quendi are those who teach counteract the corruption of Melkor. He has to care for
speech to the Ents. But the Ents soon develop their his own people. “And you should take care of yourselves
own language. It’s a long but eventually successful and seek the security of Cuiviénen.”
process, with no specific rules. The Gamemaster can
use the time scale for the learning of languages (Skill
Development Points for social skills), and some rolls
in social skills would be in order. The rewards should
involve advances in social skills, learning the language
 28
3.7 SCENE FOUR: “STEPS OF FATE” Black Rider reaches them. Those who fail this roll will be
surprised.
And on a time, it chanced that Oromë rode eastward in his
To attack, the Black Hunter will use a net fastened to
hunting, and he turned north by the shores of Helcar and passed
under the shadows of the Orocarni, the Mountains of the East. his black horse with a rope. To determine who receives
Then on a sudden Nahar set up a great neighing, and stood still. the attack make a fools’ luck roll (50/50). If all pass this
And Oromë wondered and sat silent, and it seemed to him that in roll, then it will be another elf who is attacked (it will be
the quiet of the land under the stars he heard afar off many voices an automatic success if an NPC is the victim). If all
singing. directly involved PC’s fail the fools luck roll, then there
The Silmarillion. Of the Coming of the Elves and the will be no other NPC’s nearby and they are the only
Captivity of Melkor available victims.
After a successful attack the net will close, and the
[To be read after the coming of Oromë] victim will be dragged behind the horse (an extra net
attack). In the next round the Black Rider will suspend it
and bind it to the rump of his horse.
3.7.1 First Act: “A Shadow over Cuiviénen”
In theory, capturing each victim will take two rounds
So far Cuiviénen is a haven that no shadow dares to of combat, for a total of six rounds for three prisoners
penetrate its protection. But that is going to change. before disappearing in the forest on the seventh round.
After the departure of Treebeard the Quendi have lost The PC’s far away succeed in their perception rolls,
all contact with the outside world. No one dares to go they will perceive the attack in the distance and may
further out into the forest. Of those who did leave come to the aid of their friends. With an medium athletic
Cuiviénen none have returned (at least those are the skill (running) or B&M roll (+0) successes they take one
rumors, the PC’s cannot know if these rumors are real round to arrive; the successes are cumulative.
or lies from the spies of Melkor). Now all disappearances
The PC’s can attempt to escape like all the other
are attributed to the “Hunter”. Cuiviénen is currently the
NPC’s. As long as they are being chased however their
only safe place.
chances of escape are minimal. But if the Black Rider goes
The PC’s are in Cuiviénen. It is up to them if they are after another victim (fools luck rolls) and the PC’s can
together or each one on his own. The PC’s should make evade attacks, they are more likely to escape (+2 to fools
a fools’ luck roll. Those who fail will be in the middle of luck per round). The Quendi have a running speed equal
the following attack, while those who pass the roll will to their MV plus their athletics (running) roll.
be found far from the point of attack. Everyone is entitled
One of the Elven Princes (Ingwë, Finwë, Elwë,
a medium perception roll (+0). For those directly
Olwë) [as appropriate for the Gamemaster] will
involved it is to avoid being surprised (see below). Those
intervene in the fight, trying to save the PC’s. He uses
who are far away can try to understand the situation: they
the same rules as the PC’s (described above) to see how
will see a disturbance and maybe hear some shouting; if
quickly he comes into the fray. The Prince will be
they exceed a hard perception roll (10), they will see a
protected by fate and will not receive any attack, and
black shadow from which the other Quendi run away;
cannot be captured by the Black Hunter. This Elven Lord
and passing a very hard perception roll (25), they
will try to release a PC or drive away the Black Rider,
recognize that the Black Rider is hunting elves—in
according to the situation.
Cuiviénen! If they fail the perception roll, the
commotion will be evident in the second round, and the [The companion article provides stats for these four Elven
elven eyes of the PC’s allow them to make a medium Princes. The Gamemaster can make develop his own stats].
perception roll (+0) each round to perceive the details. The Black Rider will withdraw after he has three
In the first combat round the Black Rider will leap like prisoners secured and/or the PC’s succeed in
a shadowy out of the forest surrounding Cuiviénen. If the overcoming him.
PC’s are directly involved and succeeded in their
perception roll2) they will have a free action before the
 29

The atmosphere at the end of the adventure depends which to cut the net of the Dark Hunter and free up the
on this encounter. Normally a mood of despair and PCs), and is capable of rapidly adapting this technology
helplessness against the Dark Hunter will spread; but it to spearheads, hand axes and primitive maces.
can be very different if the PC’s suddenly achieve victory
Elwë, Olwë and their people (the Teleri) will sing
over the Black Rider (which should be unlikely though).
songs of hope and protection.
Another possible solution is to search for
3.7.2 Interlude: “The Dread” Treebeard/Fangorn and the Ents, asking his aid against
the darkness, and to help him in finding Yavanna, the
Note: This is to be played only if there is sufficient time. Earth Mother. This solution should be avoided in the
After this attack and most likely with three additional simplified version, as the Quendi should stay in
abductees (see above), the Quendi of Cuiviénen are on Cuiviénen until the end of this story. But, in an extended
the verge of panic. They will meet on the shore in small chronicle the Gamemaster may consider allowing a small
groups, until someone begins to speak, and then another group of Quendi to go on this Quest and get lost in the
and another. dark or to become the first Avari of Middle-earth.
The elves are scared and need to express their fears But on the other hand, the spies of Melkor stress that
and frustrations. This is a good time to introduce negative the Quendi are alone, and how useless it is to fight the
and sarcastic characters, such as Eöl or Saeros. There will Shadows. In the end they propose, that it is “For the good
be also spies of Melkor among the Quendi (úmaiar in the of us all”, and that the only alternative is to give allegiance
form of elves), which will spread lies and despair. to the Lord of Night and worship him as a father, so that
he protects them from the Shadows of the night.
On the other hand, there are the four future lords of
the Eldar, who will try to calm their Quendi brothers and The Princes will oppose this proposal outright, as
try to find a solution to the problem, rather than let panic expected. But if you have the patience to develop this
overcome them. internal discussion, then this is the perfect chance to
resist the lies of Melkor, with the possibility (apparently
But that is not an easy task, due to the general feeling beloved by RPG designers) of the development of a
of defeat, inspired by the spies of Melkor and enhanced group of Avari elves in the service of the Shadow.
by the more negative-minded of the elves.
And of course, there is also the possibility that the
The PC’s can make extensive use of their social skills PC’s discover and unmask the spies of Melkor. The
in this great assembly of the Quendi. They may influence roleplaying potential in this assembly is immense.
the general opinion and avoid wrong conclusions.
Of course, all this is only possible if the group takes
A possible positive solution (proposed by the Princes) the time to play it with a clear head. For a quick session
is the formation of a (small) group of elves willing to face (like in the middle of a convention) a brief description of
the Black Rider and protect their brothers. Something the mood and situation should suffice.
like a first elven” militia” or “military”. The princes, the
PC’s and a few followers would be the basis of this group. If the Gamemaster sees it fitting, the Second Act
All others prefer to run and hide from the threat of (“False Alarm”) can be played straightaway after this
danger. interlude, abruptly ending the meeting.
Ingwë (of the Vanyar) speaks of the mastery of the
immaculate light of the stars in the fight against the
shadows, like a knight in a shining armor of light (like 3.7.3 Second Act: “False Alarm”
Glorfindel at the ford of Bruinien). The Quendi are desperate and in constant fear of
Finwë (of the Noldor) shows a black stone (obsidian) future attacks from the Dark Hunter. They are gathered
which, when worked sufficiently is able to maintain a in family groups awaiting its next move. Many are in fear
superior edge compared to wooden spears sharpened on or weep.
fire. He already has a black stone dagger in his belt (with
 30
The newly formed militia including the PC’s and the And then, clearly and unmistakably, the PC’s hear the
Princes watch and wait. stomping of a horse that comes over the hills and down
Suddenly the PC’s see a crowd on the edge of the among the pines to Cuiviénen.
camp, and elves running away and shouting: “The Black
Rider! The Black Rider!”
The PC’s will see the shadow of a rider on horseback
The PC’s can react normally (see the First Act: “A who comes out of the woods. They have an entire round
Shadow over Cuiviénen”): flee or attempt perception to attack, escape or do whatever they want before he
rolls. But in the end, there is no trace of the Rider and reacts. [Oromë  DB: +15; DR 1; Resistances: +10; HP
everything turns out to be a false alarm (Caused by not relevant]
whom? The PC’s will never know).
Behind them, the PC’s hear the songs of the Teleri
No one seems to be missing, but it’s hard to be sure
about his nightmare without end, with this unreal feeling. …many of the Quendi were filled with dread at his coming; and
All they know is that for now they are safe. this was the doing of Melkor […] Thus it was that when Nahar
neighed and Oromë indeed came among them, some of the Quendi
hid themselves, and some fled and were lost. But those who had
courage, and stayed, perceived swiftly that the Great Rider was no
3.7.4 Third Act: “The Hunter” shape out of darkness; for the light of Aman was in his face, and
And then (precisely how long afterwards the PC’s do all the noblest of the Elves were drawn towards it.
not know in this nightmare with no awakening), the most The Silmarillion. Of the Coming of the Elves and the
perceptive Quendi hear, with a perception roll, a horse Captivity of Melkor
neighing in the distance. Any attempt to hear more
details, more perception rolls (and/or the use of spells and desperate cries of elves who think their end is near.
from the list Nature’s Lore and Essence Perceptions) But after a first round of unsuccessful attacks,
only confirms this: they hear the hooves of a horse, the especially if they use the immaculate light of Varda (light
ground shakes in its path, and it comes straight to the last magic), the PC’s will notice that the rider neither dark
refuge of Quendi. nor threatening but radiates a bright light from his face.
An additional perception roll will show that the It is likely that after reading this quote half the players
shadows accumulate in the forest, in the opposite will be relieved with joy and shouting: “We’re saved!”
direction of the approaching rider, as to catch the Quendi This will really depend on the reactions of the PC’s,
in a trap, deadly and final. [The Narrator must note who because in the end only those who dare to face the
made the best perception: the dark shadows are not unknown will encounter Oromë. For all those who hide
growing, but are the secondary effects of an incoming themselves, will see nothing. Even worse, those who run
light, subtly and barely noticeable.] and flee into the forest will be lost in the nets of Melkor,
The PCs should be given the feeling that they have to and for them this is the end of the Chronicles of
prepare for their last stand. Behind them the rest of the Cuiviénen. [Optional encounter: “Lost in the Dark Nets
Quendi will hide, embracing each other and sobbing. The of Melkor”]
most desperate will flee in panic to the hills, disappearing The meeting with Oromë concludes the first chapter
from this story. [Fourth Act: “Lost in the nets of Melkor”] in the “Chronicles of Cuiviénen”. The players and the
The people of Elwë and Olwë will sing a song of hope Gamemaster can explore all the possibilities of the arrival
and protection, a mixture of holy and song magic (Varda of Oromë: play his welcome among the Elves and build
and Ulmo), a mixture of spells from the list of the possible personal contacts with the PC’s.
Protections, giving the PCs bonuses on their DBs and But that can be developed freely, without need of
Rrs. [Their voices will be those that Oromë hears in the game data. The Gamemaster should follow the impulses
distance] of his players.
The PCs receive one Skill Development Point as a
reward for daring to confront Oromë.
 31

3.7.5 Fourth Act [optional]: “Lost in the The ones who survive will realize that they are lost in
Dark Nets of Melkor” the world of shadows, a distorted reflection of the
material world. They will not find the way back and be
But of those unhappy ones who were ensnared by Melkor little is lost, unable to return to their own world.
known of a certainty. For who of the living has descended into the
pits of Utumno, or has explored the darkness of the counsels of They will never see Oromë and for them the
Melkor? Yet this is held true by the wise of Eressëa, that all those Chronicles of Cuiviénen will be finished…
of the Quendi who came into the hands of Melkor, ere Utumno
was broken, were put there in prison, and by slow arts of cruelty
were corrupted and enslaved; and thus, did Melkor breed the
hideous race of the Orcs in envy and mockery of the Elves, of whom
they were afterwards the bitterest foes.
The Silmarillion. Of the Coming of the Elves and the
Captivity of Melkor
Most of the Quendi who flee from Oromë into the
forests will be lost in the dark nets of Melkor. It is
assumed that they ran away deep into the forest, unless
the PC’s state clearly another course of action. While it
is not to be assumed that the PC’s will separate, they
must state specifically that they stay together. Otherwise,
each PC will be alone, just like all Quendi who fled
before Oromë.
The first things they realize when they stop are the
silence in the air and the shadows that envelop
everything. And then they will be attacked by Shadows
of Melkor, three for each player.
Shadows of Melkor (3 per PC): Level 5, Speed =
moderately fast; DB = 15; HP 50; without physical
attacks; Fear attack +60 leads to paralysis when IG and
PR fall to 0; Vulnerabilities: light magic (20 to RRs; take
double damage); Resistances physical attacks (only 50%
of damage and they ignore stun and bleeding results).
Once a victim reaches 0 SP, it receives 1 CP and will
be paralyzed with terror. In the next round it will be
enveloped by its own shadow. And after three rounds it
becomes a “Winged Shadow” enhanced by the spiritual
energy of the victim. With a successful roll of perception,
the other PCs can see the victim as a fetus, trapped in the
“belly” of the Winged Shadow. Until the last moment the
other PCs can try to save him, but in the sixth round (1
+1 +3 = 5 rounds), it will disappear in the dark sky.
The only possibility of receiving help from Oromë
and the other Quendi is to specifically state that they
remain on the edge of the forest.
All those who lose this fight will be dragged to the
dungeons of Utumno and be lost forever.