Athletics
ATHLETICS is a broad Skill, covering most of the physical activities that a hero might undertake while adventuring, including running, leaping, climbing, and swimming. Heroes with
high ATHLETICS Skill scores exhibit a winning combination
of physical prowess, grace, and control, generally gained
through continuous exercise and daily exertion.
A successful ATHLETICS roll produces a satisfactory outcome in the physical activity, while a failed roll might lead to
serious harm, depending on the circumstances. A superior
result suggests a spectacular achievement.
Poor Mr Baggins had never had much practice in climbing trees, but
they hoisted him up into the lowest branches of an enormous oak that
grew right out into the path, and up he had to go as best he could.
Awareness
The AWARENESS Skill represents a hero’s readiness to react
and the ability to notice something unexpected, out of the
ordinary, or difficult to detect. A high Skill score reflects both
keen senses and the experience to understand what is seen or
heard — a high level of watchfulness is extremely useful if a
Player-hero serves as a look-out for the Company.
As Frodo watched he saw something dark pass across the lighter
space between two trees, and then halt.
Awe
AWE measures the capacity to evoke respect in onlookers, and determines the impression the Player-heroes make
on someone they meet for the first time. Depending on the
circumstances and on the player’s intentions, it can be used
to instil wonderment, admiration, or even fear. AWE arises
from a hero’s native charisma, but can also be engineered
by a dramatic entrance or impressive attire.
Successful use of the AWE Skill evokes the chosen effect,
while failure can lead to the opposite result. Achieving a superior success means that a hero has won the hearts of the
onlookers or cowed them into silent submission.
For a moment it seemed to the eyes of Legolas that a white flame
flickered on the brows of Aragorn like a shining crown.
Hunting
Knowing how to hunt is a fundamental skill, shared by most
cultures of Middle-earth. A HUNTING roll may be required
when pursuing a creature through wild areas, or to follow
tracks and identify a quarry by its spoor. The HUNTING Skill
also covers preparing traps and the training and use of hunting dogs or birds.
In wilder areas, hunters learn to apply their trade to more
dangerous quarries — such as Orcs, Spiders, or Wargs — or
else risk becoming the prey.
They dwelt most often by the edges of the woods, from which they
could escape at times to hunt, or to ride and run over the open lands
by moonlight or starlight…
Song
Hobbits and Men, Elves and Dwarves, even Goblins and
maybe Orcs: all creatures of Middle-earth celebrate by playing
music and singing songs. Great deeds and grim misfortunes
are remembered in verse, and pleasant or comic stories are
told to ease spirits and find comfort.
The SONG Skill is used to recite poems, sing songs,
or play instruments suitable to a character’s Culture. It
can also be used to learn new works or create original
compositions.
As they sang, the Hobbit felt the love of beautiful things made by
hands and by cunning and by magic moving through him, a fierce
and jealous love, the desire of the hearts of Dwarves.
Craft
The CRAFT Skill doesn’t really cover the whole range of abilities of smiths, wrights, and other artisans, but reflects a talent
for making or mending things by hand. CRAFT can be used to
repair the wheel of a cart, or construct an improvised raft with
wood found on a river shore, or to start a fire on a windy hill.
A high CRAFT score may indicate that the Player-hero was
a craftsperson before starting a life of adventure. Some Cultures, such as the Dwarves and Noldorin Elves, revere crafts
as the highest expression of creativity.
… the only craft little practised among them was shoe-making; but
they had long and skilful fingers and could make many other useful and comely things.
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