So this Sunday is the 3rd session in my fill-in MERP game. One of the players in the group has permanently has quit because he didn't like the way we chopped around the games too much.
Had I know he was going to quit (and the writing was on the wall weeks beforehand) I'd have gone back to Deadlands for a "season", a game which the departed player had immense dislike for.
As it stands now there is 7 of us, which is a lovely sized group, I think we have room for one more player, and I have my sights set on one guy in particular who has been out of the gaming scene for a few years.
Going back to MERP, because its the first time I've run it since the trilogy of films came out earlier this millennium, there are high levels of expectation both from me and the players. The hardest part of running MERP is not the looking up of tables and charts (a less bothersome task than when I ran Rolemaster), but rather keeping the feel and flavour of Tolkien's world. MERP is a game at odds with me as a GM because of the magic.
The magic rules for MERP really spoil the game, and trivial daily spell items and even 1st level spells can impact the game on a regular basis more so than Gandalf ever could dream of. The way I have found to reign in their wanton power is to have consequence. Everything they do has consequences.
You want to start pulling of magical powers? Fine, then the locals populace are going to be turning to YOU to solve their problems. The roving band of black orcs are looking at taming a part of Rhudaur , then they need to eliminate the problem "party" first.
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