David Kano was born in 2011 in St. Andrew, Jamaica. He came from an impoverished family but showed considerable talent with computers at a very young age. He earned a full scholarship to study mathematics and computer science at Stanford University in California, earning his doctorate in 2043.
While at university, Kano became involved with early experiments in brain-computer interfaces. He volunteered to be one of three test subjects for a highly experimental wireless implant. The experiment was nearly a failure; the other two volunteers suffered severe neurological damage, but Kano emerged with the ability to interact with computers almost by instinct.
After earning his doctorate, Kano joined the World Space Commission and served in several postings on and near Earth. Early in 2049, he was transferred to Moonbase Alpha as the new head of the Technical Section.
Kano is a somewhat eccentric genius, very comfortable with computers and computer networks but awkward and standoffish with people. His colleagues in Main Mission rely on his technical skills, but he is rarely put in a command or leadership position.
Kano is very aware of his intellect and accomplishments; he sometimes loses patience with the slowness or clumsiness of others. He makes few friends and appears to have no interest in romantic attachments. He is quite fond of strategy games and sometimes challenges his colleagues to a round of backgammon or chess.
Administration (A) IQ [2]-14; Beam Weapons/TL9 (Pistol) (E) DX [1]-12; Computer Operation/TL9 (E) IQ+1 [2]-15; Computer Programming/TL9 (H) IQ [4]-14; Electrician/TL9 (A) IQ [2]-14; Electronics Operation/TL9 (Communications) (A) IQ+1 [4]-15; Electronics Operation/TL9 (Electronic Warfare) (A) IQ [2]-14; Electronics Operation/TL9 (Security) (A) IQ [2]-14; Electronics Operation/TL9 (Sensors) (A) IQ+1 [4]-15; Electronics Operation/TL9 (Surveillance) (A) IQ [2]-14; Electronics Repair/TL9 (Communications) (A) IQ [2]-14; Electronics Repair/TL9 (Computers) (A) IQ [2]-14; Electronics Repair/TL9 (Sensors) (A) IQ [2]-14; Engineer/TL9 (Electronics) (H) IQ [4]-14; Free Fall (A) DX [2]-12; Linguistics (H) IQ-1 [2]-13; Literature (H) IQ-1 [2]-13; Mathematics/TL9 (Applied) (H) IQ-1 [2]-13; Poetry (A) IQ [2]-14; Savoir-Faire (Military) (E) IQ-1 [1]-13 *; Vacc Suit/TL9 (A) DX [2]-12; Writing (A) IQ [2]-14.
* Includes -1 from Shyness (Mild).
Biographical Information
Sandra Benes was born in 2023 in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei. Her father was the world-famous engineer and inventor Lawrence Benes, developer of the Interstellar Transmitter system for deep-space communications. Her mother was Nan Sanda, a Burmese journalist and poet.
As a young woman, Benes lived in many places around the world, speaking six languages fluently by the age of twelve. She studied electronics while working in her father’s lab, and earned a doctorate in electronic engineering from Nanyang Technological University (Singapore) in 2048. Benes joined the World Space Commission early in 2049, and was quickly assigned to Moonbase Alpha as the new head of the Communications and Telemetry Section.
Benes is a brilliant and extremely competent technician, a talented natural linguist, and a self-taught expert in several fields of human literature. She has a strong aesthetic sense, and is often first of the Alphans to remark on the beauty to be found even amid the dangers of deep space. She tends to be underestimated in person; she is physically petite, and is rather shy and unassuming in social situations. She has been known to “freeze up” or faint outright when subjected to sudden stress or shock. Only when working in a professional capacity does she become assured and confident. Even so, she is a critical member of Alpha’s command crew, often involved in scientific investigations or first-contact situations.
Alan Carter was born in 2016 in Sydney, Australia. He grew up on an Australian cattle ranch, where he spent most of his time outdoors and on horseback. From an early age he demonstrated talent as a pilot, earning his license as a pre-teenager and flying his family’s light aircraft all over the country.
In 2034, Carter joined the Royal Australian Air Force, serving in the Pacific War and flying many combat missions. After the war he applied for an astronaut’s position with the US/Australian Space Cooperation Program, later serving in the World Space Commission. He advanced quickly, commanding the third manned Mars expedition in 2047. Early in 2049 he was assigned to Moonbase Alpha as the Reconnaissance Section lead, and was the lead candidate for command of the upcoming Meta expedition.
Carter is a superb athlete and pilot, a natural-born adventurer who is proud of his abilities. He insists on being the first to venture into any dangerous situation, and he has the skills and the sheer courage to survive them.
Although Carter is widely respected and admired among the Moonbase Alpha crew, he is not known to have any interest in romantic relationships; female (and male) crew members who sound him out are all politely rebuffed. In fact, Carter was bitterly heartbroken in his youth, when a young woman he passionately loved was killed in a terrorist attack. Unwilling to risk such a loss again, Carter has transferred his passions to adventure, flying, and protecting his friends and colleagues.
Paul Morrow is in his early 30s, with handsome features, light brown hair, and brown eyes.
ST 11 [10]; DX 12 [40]; IQ 13 [60]; HT 12 [20].
Damage 1d-1/1d+1; BL 24 lbs.; HP 11 [0]; Will 13 [0]; Per 13 [0]; FP 12 [0].
Basic Speed 6.00 [0]; Basic Move 6 [0]; Dodge 9.
6’ even; 165 lbs.
Social Background
TL: 9 [0].
CF: Western [0].
Languages: English (Native) [0].
Advantages
Military Rank (World Space Commission) 4 [20].
Disadvantages
Gregarious [-10]; Honesty (12 or less, *1) [-10]; Pacifism (Cannot Harm Innocents) [-10]; Sense of Duty (Small Group; Friends and current love interest) [-5].
Quirks: Fond of playing the guitar; Homesick for Earth; Mild womanizer; Outspoken; Responsive. [‑5]
Paul Morrow was born in 2017 in London, in the United Kingdom. As a young man, he studied administration and data science at the Imperial College London. In his spare hours, he pursued music, women, and the occasional brawl in London’s pubs. Even so, by 2039 he earned a master’s degree with distinction. A lifelong interest in the space program led him to apply for a position with the new World Space Commission.
Morrow was first posted to Moonbase Alpha in 2043 as a senior administrator. By 2049, he had been promoted to Main Mission Controller, essentially the base’s second-in-command, serving first under Anton Gorski and then under John Koenig.
Morrow is a competent administrator, technician, and pilot. Despite his para-military position, he has the demeanor of a lifelong civilian. He has a habit of speaking his mind, and has more than once come into direct conflict with Commander Koenig. Even so, he is a valued member of the command staff, and the Commander relies on him in a crisis.
Morrow has settled down considerably since his wild days of youth, although he still enjoys playing cards or chess or making music. He is often engaged in a polite and discreet pursuit of one or another female colleague. Under the surface, he finds existence on the runaway Moon to be stifling and alienating. He is often homesick for Earth. Whenever the Moon passes an even remotely hospitable world, he is often a strong advocate for Operation Exodus – the abandonment of Alpha for a new settlement.
Quirks: Broad-Minded; Congenial; Convinced of a higher purpose; Hums or whistles while thinking; Likes fine cigars and brandy. [‑5]
Skills
Administration (A) IQ-1 [1]-14; Astronomy/TL9 (H) IQ+1 [4]-16 *; Beam Weapons/TL9 (Pistol) (E) DX [1]-10; Chemistry/TL9 (H) IQ-2 [1]-13; Computer Operation/TL9 (E) IQ+1 [2]-16; Computer Programming/TL9 (H) IQ [4]-15; Diplomacy (H) IQ-1 [2]-14; Driving/TL9 (Automobile) (A) DX [1]-10; Electronics Operation/TL9 (Communications) (A) IQ [2]-15; Electronics Operation/TL9 (Scientific) (A) IQ [2]-15; Electronics Operation/TL9 (Sensors) (A) IQ [2]-15; Electronics Repair/TL9 (Force Shields) (A) IQ [2]-15; Electronics Repair/TL9 (Scientific) (A) IQ [2]-15; Engineer/TL9 (Civil) (H) IQ [2]-15 *; Engineer/TL9 (Gravitics) (H) IQ+1 [4]-16 *; Literature (H) IQ-2 [1]-13; Mathematics/TL9 (Applied) (H) IQ+1 [3]-16 *; Mathematics/TL9 (Pure) (H) IQ [2]-15 *; Philosophy (Humanist) (H) IQ-2 [1]-13; Physics/TL9 (VH) IQ+4 [20]-19 *; Public Speaking (Debate) (E) IQ [1]-15; Research/TL9 (A) IQ [2]-15; Savoir-Faire (Military) (E) IQ [1]-15; Teaching (A) IQ+1 [4]-16; Vacc Suit/TL9 (A) DX [2]-10; Writing (A) IQ [2]-15.
* Includes +1 from Mathematical Ability.
Biographical Information
Victor Bergman was born in 1990 in London, in the United Kingdom. He was recognized as a mathematical prodigy at a very young age, earning doctorates in mathematics and astrophysics at the University of Cambridge by the time he was 21. Bergman has formed many close friendships and mentor-relationships over the years, but he has never become romantically involved, and some observers have concluded that he is effectively asexual.
Bergman disappointed many in the scientific world when he accepted a teaching position at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2012, but he soon proved able to do pioneering theoretical research even while mentoring younger students. It was at MIT in 2016 that Bergman had an annus mirabilis comparable to that of Albert Einstein, publishing several papers that ended in revolutionizing modern physics.
Bergman’s work opened the door to the direct control of gravity as a force, suggesting applications as diverse as artificial gravity in space habitats, antigravity lift systems for spacecraft, and “reactionless” drives for deep-space travel. As such, by the 2020s Bergman was already being recognized as the seminal figure in a new Space Age.
Bergman’s work might have made him a valuable asset to the American or British governments, but his staunch pacificism led him to refuse most such state connections. His open criticism of NASA and the United States Space Force led to considerable political controversy throughout the late 2020s and early 2030s, especially after he was awarded the 2033 Nobel Prize in Physics.
Only after the Pacific War and the foundation of the World Space Commission did Bergman begin to personally support the space program. He finally left MIT and accepted a position as a scientific advisor for the WSC in 2038. Working both on Earth and at Moonbase Alpha, Bergman provided invaluable advice in the application of the gravitic technologies his work had made possible. He was instrumental in the designs for Moonbase Alpha and the Eagle series of gravitic spacecraft.
Now of advanced years, Bergman continues to serve as a scientific advisor and mentor for a number of WSC leaders, including Commissioner Gerald Simmonds and astronauts Anthony Cellini and John Koenig.
Bergman’s outgoing personality, along with his undoubted scientific genius, have made him almost universally beloved among members of the space program. Even in his advanced years, he loves to throw himself into new scientific conundrums, and remains capable of coming up with unique (and effective) solutions. He has also gained a reputation as a humanistic philosopher, advocating an almost mystic understanding of humankind’s role in space.
Bergman’s major weakness is his artificial heart, acquired after a serious laboratory accident in the early 2030s. Although this bionic organ helps Bergman to regulate his emotional responses – giving him some resistance to fear and panic – it also renders him vulnerable to electric shock.
Helena Russell is 40 years old, with delicate features, carefully coiffed blonde hair, and grey eyes.
ST 10 [0]; DX 11 [20]; IQ 14 [80]; HT 10 [0].
Damage 1d-2/1d; BL 20 lbs.; HP 10 [0]; Will 14 [0]; Per 14 [0]; FP 10 [0].
Basic Speed 6.25 [0]; Basic Move 5 [0]; Dodge 8.
5’9”; 135 lbs.
Social Background
TL: 9 [0].
CF: Western [0].
Languages: English (Native) [0].
Advantages
Appearance (Attractive) [4]; Empathy [15]; Military Rank 3 (World Space Commission) [15].
Disadvantages
Code of Honor (Professional) [-5]; Combat Paralysis [-15]; Sense of Duty (Large Group; Moonbase Alpha Inhabitants) [-10]; Stubbornness [-5].
Quirks: Attentive; Prefers mundane explanations for unusual occurrences; Responsive; Tends to diagnose problems as “radiation sickness”; Very soft-spoken. [‑5]
Helena Russell was born Helena Goldmann in 2009 in Denver, in the United States. Her parents were physicians; she followed in their footsteps, earning advanced degrees in medicine and psychology from Columbia University in New York. It was there that she met Lee Russell, a fellow student who was specializing in space medicine. After finishing their graduate work, the two of them married in 2035. They spent the years of the Pacific War serving the United States Space Force as medical officers.
After the war, the Russells joined the World Space Commission, becoming deeply involved in the push for long-term expeditions and permanent manned outposts in space. In particular, Helena Russell became highly influential in the design of space habitats. Her introduction of solariums and “green spaces” into Moonbase Alpha residential sections did much to improve crew morale, and earned her the prestigious Donnelmyer Award in 2043.
Dr. Lee Russell went missing, and was presumed dead, in the loss of the second manned Jupiter expedition in 2044. Dr. Helena Russell has not remarried. She responded to the tragedy by throwing herself into her work, and beginning to accept deep-space assignments of her own. She was posted to Moonbase Alpha in late 2048 as its Chief Medical Officer.
Dr. Russell is a committed and effective physician, who cares deeply for her patients and has a gift for understanding the human psyche. If she has a weakness in her role, it is in her ability to adjust to the dangers and strangeness of life in deep space. She has a tendency to “freeze up” in situations of immediate danger or violence. She also tends to look for tried and familiar solutions to problems, often overlooking evidence that a situation is genuinely new and unprecedented.
John Koenig was born in 2007 in New York City, in the United States. He was orphaned in his late teens and has no close family. He studied astrophysics and space engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he met and struck up an enduring friendship with Victor Bergman. The world-famous scientist has served Koenig as a mentor and father-figure for most of his adult life.
Koenig joined the American astronaut program, but his career was interrupted by the outbreak of the Pacific War in 2035. Throughout the war he served in the United States Space Force, flying several combat missions. Koenig’s wife was killed in the Chinese missile strike on Los Angeles in 2037. He has not remarried.
After the Pacific War, Koenig resumed his career as an astronaut, this time working for the new World Space Commission. He served several tours at the growing Moonbase Alpha from 2038 onward, and was posted as the base’s commanding officer just before Breakaway in 2049.
Koenig has a good reputation as an administrator and commander, known for ruthlessly practical decision-making. He is often short-tempered, capable of outbursts of anger or frustration, more likely to bark orders than to seek consensus among his subordinates. However, he is also deeply concerned for the welfare of his crew and the success of his assigned mission.
One of my guilty pleasures is the 1970s TV show Space: 1999. I’ve been rewatching it lately, and something about it seems to have engaged one of my spare backup Muses.
Space: 1999 was a very odd duck, kind of the epitome of the kind of science-fiction programming you’d find on British TV in the 1970s. Probably due to its creators, the inestimable Gerry and Sylvia Anderson. It’s a mix of hard SF and wild space-operatic fantasy, with FX that were superb at the time but that look very dated today, and writing that veered from interesting to horrible. The cast were very good, and they did the best they could with the material they were handed.
For the past couple of weeks I’ve been thinking about building a RPG scenario around a similar premise. It seemed likely that I would need to update the technology a bit, and the timeline, and find a way to make the core premise more palatable. Still, I find the basic notion – a near-future space outpost, on a course it can’t control, its crew trying to survive a series of challenges – quite appealing.
So here’s a side project that I might post freebies for, on an occasional basis. The working title is Space: 2049, and it will probably end up as a collection of notes and RPG material updating the original show for a more modern sensibility. I’ll probably use GURPS for the game-oriented pieces, since this is all going to be fan-derivative work for free anyway.
To begin with, have a timeline!
Timeline of Moonbase Alpha – to Breakaway
1990
Birth of Victor Bergman, in London, United Kingdom.
2007
Birth of John Koenig, in New York City, United States.
2009
Birth of Helena Russell, in Denver, United States.
2011
Birth of David Kano, in St. Andrew, Jamaica.
2013
Birth of Robert Mathias, in New York City, United States.
2016
Birth of Alan Carter, in Sydney, Australia.
Birth of Antony Verdeschi, in Florence, Italy.
While teaching at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Victor Bergman has an annus mirabilis, publishing no fewer than five papers to revolutionize modern physics. In particular, Bergman’s theories suggest the possibility of direct control of gravitational forces.
2017
Birth of Paul Morrow, in London, United Kingdom.
2018
Birth of Tanya Aleksandr, in Weimar, Germany.
2023
Birth of Sandra Benes, in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei.
2028
First practical applications of Bergman gravitational technology are developed. The new technology promises to revolutionize transportation, especially in space.
2029
While attending MIT, John Koenig meets Victor Bergman, who becomes his lifelong mentor and advisor.
2033
Victor Bergman is awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics.
Construction of Moonbase Alpha begins in the crater Plato, by the American space agency NASA. The new base is intended as an industrial center, and a headquarters to coordinate exploration of the solar system.
2035
Launch of the Sojourner One probe, an unmanned vehicle using the experimental fast-neutron drive invented by Dr. Ernst Queller. The probe appears to be successful, but vanishes without a trace within days of launch.
Launch of the Sojourner Two probe ends in disaster when the Queller drive cuts in too early, killing hundreds of people. Dr. Ernst Queller is found not to be at fault, but he goes into seclusion regardless.
Outbreak of the Pacific War, a global conflict between democratic and authoritarian power blocs. Construction of Moonbase Alpha, and other space exploration activity, is paused during the conflict.
2038
End of the Pacific War, after Earth narrowly avoids a nuclear exchange.
A number of new international institutions are established in the aftermath, to stabilize the global community and deal with several ongoing crises. Among these is the World Space Commission, a unified body coordinating human space-exploration efforts. A new era in manned exploration of the solar system begins.
The World Space Commission takes oversight of the Moonbase Alpha project, resuming construction. Bergman gravitational technology is integrated into the base’s design and architecture.
World Space Commission awards contracts for the development of a new transport spacecraft applying Bergman gravitational technology – the Eagle.
2042
First Eagle transport spacecraft are deployed.
2044
Manned expedition to Jupiter is lost after a massive engine failure. Lee Russell, medical officer and husband of Dr. Helena Russell, is presumed dead.
Discovery of the “ninth planet,” a small ice giant orbiting Sol at distances between 360 and 600 AU. The new planet is named Ultra.
2046
Several Hawk fighter craft are deployed to defend against a putative attack on Earth from space.
Manned expedition to Ultra departs, commanded by Tony Cellini.
2047
Expedition to Ultra returns to Earth, with Tony Cellini as its sole survivor. Cellini is grounded after a diagnosis of severe psychological strain and paranoid delusions, but has a partial recovery and is later reassigned to Moonbase Alpha.
Working at Moonbase Alpha, Victor Bergman discovers the so-called Meta Signal, a pattern of phased gravitational waves that seems to carry considerable encoded information. World Space Commission announces the first evidence of intelligent life in space.
2048
Victor Bergman hypothesizes that humans could use gravitational waves to respond to the Meta Signal. He begins an effort to decode and translate the signal, but progress is very slow.
2049
A scientific expedition is planned to the apparent source of the Meta Signal. Construction of the spacecraft begins at Moonbase Alpha.
9 September: John Koenig arrives on Moonbase Alpha as its new Commander, replacing Anton Gorski. Koenig has been assigned to get the Meta expedition launched, but he discovers an outbreak of medical and psychological issues among the crew, far worse than he had been led to believe.
12 September: Commissioner Gerald Simmonds arrives on Moonbase Alpha and immediately comes into conflict with Commander Koenig, who remains cautious about pushing forward the Meta project. Simmonds begins to insist that the expedition move into its next phase without further delay, and also presses to have Dr. Bergman issue an immediate response to the Meta Signal.
13 September: “Breakaway.” On the insistence of Commissioner Simmonds, Koenig authorizes a first response to the Meta Signal. The result is catastrophic – intensely focused artificial gravitation, which reaches out from deep space and accelerates the Moon out of Earth’s orbit. Moonbase Alpha finds itself hurtling into deep space, at speeds which make any evacuation back to Earth problematic.
16 September: The runaway Moon disappears entirely from Earth’s view, and all contact with Moonbase Alpha is lost. In fact, the human response to the Meta Signal has engaged a billions-of-years-old Forerunner stargate network. The Moon is now being conveyed through the network to an unknown destination.
Alexander Putting his Seal Ring over Hephaistion’s Lips, by Johann Heinrich Tischbein (1781)
While I slog through the Architect of Worlds draft, I’m still thinking about Hellenic alternate histories for my Danassos setting.
One of the most popular premises for a Hellenistic AH is the one in which Alexander the Great lives longer, perhaps long enough to see a legitimate heir born and recognized. Lots of people have played with that one . . . but I think I’ve found another one that’s just as interesting.
Suppose Hephaistion had lived longer?
Hephaistion, son of Amyntor, was Alexander’s closest friend and companion from boyhood, possibly his lover, certainly one of his most talented officers. Alexander trusted Hephaistion absolutely and without reservation – and that trust was apparently well-earned.
Hephaistion wasn’t just lucky enough to strike up a close relationship with his king. He was a competent diplomat and battlefield officer in his own right, often entrusted with important missions. He was apparently quite intelligent, patronizing the arts, maintaining his own years-long correspondence with Aristotle. With one or two exceptions, he got along well with his colleagues on Alexander’s staff. Most importantly, he understood Alexander – his ambitions, his ideas about building and governing a world-empire, his desire to build bridges between the Hellenic and Persian worlds. He was well-respected both among Makedonians and among Persians.
When Hephaistion died in 324 BCE, possibly due to complications of a bout of typhoid fever, it just about unhinged Alexander. The king lived only another eight months afterward, and it seems that the loss of his life-long companion had robbed him of something vital. When Alexander died in turn, at Babylon, he had made no provision for a regency or succession. That omission led the Makedonians to revert to their historical pattern of behavior, fighting ruthlessly over the throne, only this time on a much grander scale than before. The result was the complete extinction of Alexander’s royal line, and the permanent division of his empire. In the end, while Hellenistic culture came into its own, it was the rival empires of Rome and Parthia that inherited Alexander’s political ambitions.
If Hephaistion had survived to a decent age, it might not have added too many years to Alexander’s tally. By the time of his arrival in Babylon, Alexander had pretty thoroughly burned himself out and wrecked his physical health. Yet if Hephaistion had survived his king, there would have been no question of who would serve as Regent. He would also have been a competent guardian and foster father for Alexander’s son by Roxane. Doubtless others among Alexander’s generals would still have reached for their own ambitions, hoping to unseat Hephaistion or carve out their own kingdoms, but the imperial structure would have started out on a much sounder footing. It’s possible that Alexander’s empire would have remained intact for at least another generation.
This has possibilities – not least because I’m not aware of anyone else who has run with this specific premise. I’m going to tinker with the idea as time allows.
I’ve been rather badly under the weather for the past few days, and not inclined to work too hard. Today, to take a break from outstanding projects, I decided to sit down and tinker with a recent purchase: the second edition of The One Ring, possibly the best tabletop RPG ever published set in Tolkien’s Middle-earth.
The four starting heroes I drew up this afternoon are based on characters I ran in the Lord of the Rings Online MMO years ago. Leonore and Morlindiel are taken almost directly from the online game, Reinald is a looser adaptation of another online character, whereas Náli is more or less original to today’s effort. In any case, I think this group would make a pretty decent starting party for the tabletop game.
I don’t know what, if anything, I’m going to do with these characters. I’ve been known to write some Tolkien fan-fiction in the past, but in recent years I’ve been trying to get away from fan-fic in favor of original work. Still, the new edition of The One Ring has certainly attracted my interest. I may even go looking for a group to play the new game with . . . in my copious free time.
Anyway, without further ado, here’s a small band of adventurers, ready to set out into the wilds of Eriador in the decades leading up to the War of the Ring.
Leonore Rushlight
Leonore is the daughter and only child of an alderman of Bree. Her parents took the unusual step of educating her as best they could, even acquiring books for her to read. She grew up rather quiet and thoughtful, and the other Bree-folk think her a bit strange, but she has already learned as much about the true history of Middle-earth as any of her people. Recently she met Gandalf the Grey at the Prancing Pony. Her long conversations with the wizard have encouraged her to seek out knowledge wherever she can find it, even if it means leaving the safety of Bree far behind.
Culture – Men of Bree
Blessing – Bree-blood (+1 Fellowship Rating)
Calling – Scholar
Standard of Living – Common
Distinctive Features – Fair-spoken, Subtle, and Rhymes of Lore
Travelling Gear, balm to soothe pain (Healing), book of history (Lore)
Pony (Vigour 1)
Morlindiel
Morlindiel is a latter-day Elf, descended from Sindar who survived the fall of Thingol’s kingdom in the Elder Days. She has many years of experience as a ranger in the wilderness, protecting the Grey Havens and the borders of the dwindling Elf-realm of Lindon. In recent years she has taken to wandering far and wide across the lands of Eriador, sensing that great events are stirring and there may yet be a part for Elves to play. She has just arrived in Bree, only to meet Gandalf the Grey and a young woman named Leonore, soon becoming snarled in an adventure.
Culture – Elves of Lindon
Blessing – Elven-skill (Spend 1 Hope to gain a Magical success on a skill roll)
Calling – Champion
Standard of Living – Frugal
Distinctive Features – Keen-eyed, Swift, and Orc-lore
Shadow Path – Curse of Vengeance
Flaws – The Long Defeat (Lose maximum 1 Shadow during Fellowship Phase)
Travelling Gear, knife for skinning and cleaning game (Hunting)
Náli Silvertongue
Náli was born in the Iron Hills, moving to the renewed kingdom of Erebor after the death of the Dragon. There he has prospered, serving as an envoy and trade representative for King Dáin Ironfoot. Náli left Erebor early this year, traveling with a company of Dwarves on their way to the old mines in the Blue Mountains. On the journey, he met and befriended Reinald of Dale. Now that the Dwarf-caravan has reached Bree safely, Náli seems prepared to join Reinald on any adventures he might find.
Culture – Dwarves of Durin’s Folk
Blessing – Redoubtable (Halve the Load of any armor or helm, rounded up)
Calling – Messenger
Standard of Living – Prosperous
Distinctive Features – Fierce, Proud, and Folk-lore
Shadow Path – Wandering-madness
Flaws – Naugrim (Cannot use great bow, great spear, or great shield)
Rewards – Grievous (Great Axe)
Virtues – Hardiness
Strength 7 (TN 13)
Endurance 31
Valour 1
Heart 3 (TN 17)
Hope 11
Wisdom 1
Wits 4 (TN 16)
Parry 14
Skills
Awe 2
Enhearten 1
Persuade 1
Athletics 1
Travel 3 (Favored)
Stealth 1
Awareness 0
Insight 0
Scan 3
Hunting 0
Healing 0
Explore 2
Song 1 (Favored)
Courtesy 3 (Favored)
Riddle 2
Craft 2
Battle 2
Lore 1
Combat Proficiencies
Axes 2
Bows 0
Spears 1
Swords 0
Gear
Treasure – 90
Great Axe (Damage 8, Injury 20, 4 Load, Grievous)
Short Spear (Damage 3, Injury 14, 2 Load, can be thrown)
Coat of Mail (Protection 4d, 6 Load)
Helm (Protection +1d, 2 Load)
Travelling Gear, fiddle (Song), fine tools for personal grooming (Courtesy), magnifying glass (Scan)
Pony (Vigour 2)
Reinald of Dale
Reinald comes from a prosperous trading family in Dale. As a younger son, he was never likely to inherit a big share in the family trade, so he sought out a position as one of King Bard’s huscarls instead. He served the king for several years, earning experience as a warrior and war-captain. Early this year, he (apparently) left the king’s service to join a band of Dwarves traveling to their old dwellings in the far-off Blue Mountains. During the journey, he met and befriended Náli Silvertongue. Now that the Dwarves have arrived safely in Bree, Reinald has left their company, and intends to seek adventure in the lands of Eriador.
Culture – Bardings
Blessing – Stout-hearted (Valour rolls are Favored)
Calling – Captain
Standard of Living – Prosperous
Distinctive Features – Bold, Generous, and Leadership
Shadow Path – Lure of Power
Flaws –
Rewards – Fell (Sword)
Virtues – Dour-handed (+1 damage on a Heavy Blow)
Strength 6 (TN 14)
Endurance 26
Valour 1
Heart 6 (TN 14)
Hope 14
Wisdom 1
Wits 2 (TN 18)
Parry 14
Skills
Awe 1
Enhearten 2 (Favored)
Persuade 3
Athletics 1 (Favored)
Travel 1
Stealth 0
Awareness 1
Insight 2
Scan 1
Hunting 2
Healing 0
Explore 1
Song 1
Courtesy 2
Riddle 0
Craft 1
Battle 3 (Favored)
Lore 1
Combat Proficiencies
Axes 0
Bows 1
Spears 0
Swords 3
Gear
Treasure – 90
Sword (Damage 4, Injury 18, 2 Load, Fell)
Bow (Damage 3, Injury 14, 2 Load)
Mail-shirt (Protection 3d, 9 Load)
Shield (Parry +2, 4 Load)
Travelling Gear, coil of rope for climbing (Athletics), lodestone (Travel), fine pipe for relaxation (Insight)
