The Lord of the Rings Racial Templates: The Races of Men

[macphersonrants]

Dunedain are always described as being of larger stature than common men. I think this argues for a +1 ST bonus. Maybe +2 if you want to fully buy into the exceptional average height.

This is probably only appropriate for the fairly pureblooded, but I'm guessing that most players who are going to make a Dunadan are going to shoot for a 'full-blooded Ranger of the North' type, rather than a more watered down variation given the chance.

You might want to specify full Dunedain are going to be more common earlier on in the Third Age. A little more high-powered template would also work for campaigns set in the first and second ages.

[Kaldrin]

Originally Posted by macphersonrants

Dunedain are always described as being of larger stature than common men. I think this argues for a +1 ST bonus. Maybe +2 if you want to fully buy into the exceptional average height.

That could be that they're only a few inches taller. I know people who are six inches taller than myself who can only lift a quarter of what I can...

[Kaldrin]

Originally Posted by Gavynn

You are very welcome. This inspires me to keep going. I would love to have play testing feedback from any of these, and plus love to hear any campaign stories from GURPS LotR games anyone might have. My plan (which is always slightly too ambitious) is to have a GURPS LotR guide suitable for showing off soon, and to start my own game next semester. I will post a campaign log for all to read!

I agree with TQM. Would it be possible to get you to throw a thread link for the discussions in your sig?

[Lord Carnifex]

I'd be more comfortable with the lower-key template, with the understanding that individual players who intend to play Numenoreans may very well buy ST (and other attributes) higher if they wish. Let the player define how much of the "pure" Numenorean blood manifests itself in the individual character.

[Johnny1A.2]

Originally Posted by Kaldrin

That could be that they're only a few inches taller. I know people who are six inches taller than myself who can only lift a quarter of what I can...

But in the Numenorean ancestors, at least, the size did correlate with considerable phsyical strength and endurance. How much of that comes down through the Third Age one would have to judge.

It would be interesting to ask: what were the stats of the average Numenorean at their Second Age height, and the stats of a typical member of the 'old' Royal Line, before it's corruption and decline?

(In their glory days, the King of Numenor lived as much as ~400 years, once they began to become corrupt that underwent a certain decline.)

[DocRailgun]

Well, Isildur was supposedly 7 feet tall, but it was his father Elendil that was called "the Tall" ("more than man high by nearly half a ranga" - ^ _Unfinished Tales_ index - A ranga was 38" approximately, and 'man height' around 6'4" )
"Thus two rangar was often called 'man-high', which at thirty-eight inches gives an average height of six feet four inches; (1.93 meters) but this was at a later date, when the stature of the Dúnedain appears to have decreased..."

Of course, these were of the royal house of Numenor, who were descended from the tallest of the Children of Iluvatar (Thingol) on Luthien's side, a very tall ancestor on Idril Celebrindal's side (Turgon), a tall human (Tuor... taller than any of Turgon's guards in Goldolin) and a Maia (Melian).

So... the Numenorian royal line was unnaturally tall, probably even by the standards of the extra-tall Men of the West.

Originally Posted by Johnny1a

But in the Numenorean ancestors, at least, the size did correlate with considerable phsyical strength and endurance. How much of that comes down through the Third Age one would have to judge.

It would be interesting to ask: what were the stats of the average Numenorean at their Second Age height, and the stats of a typical member of the 'old' Royal Line, before it's corruption and decline?

(In their glory days, the King of Numenor lived as much as ~400 years, once they began to become corrupt that underwent a certain decline.)