Ambarquenta is the Heren Turambarion's homemade Middle-earth roleplaying game. In the long run, we hope that it will become an enjoyable and well-balanced alternative to the other great games featured on this site. Yet, such an endeavour brings with it a tremendous workload, and therefore we must ask you for a little patience, and to return to this site every now and then to see whether a new chapter has been added to the core rulebook we're currently writing.
At the time being, preview release 6.0 is available for download here.
Please note that you'll need to obtain a password to open and print this 260-page e-Book (file size: 2,661 KB) by sending an e-mail to olorwe@gmx.at. The reason why we must ask you to do so is that we have, for simplicity's sake, copied the wording of large parts of the current preview version from various other roleplaying games (which are all listed in the 'Credits' section of the book). While only a few play rules have actually been plagiarized by doing so, this course of action allowed us to speed up the work on Ambarquenta a lot.
The current preview version of Ambarquenta features a brief Introduction to the game's mechanics, and chapters on Your Character's Tale (1), Attributes (2), Races and Cultures (3), Skills (4), Abilities and Flaws (5), Weapons and Gear (6), Finishing Touches (7), Character Improvement (8) and Adventuring (9). In addition, Appendix A introduces you to the (optional) concept of everyday Occupations.
With a little creativity to fill in the gaps and version 2.7 of the Microsoft-Excel-based character sheet (file size: 500 KB), an experienced group of gamers should well be able to start Ambarquenta; in any case you'll get an excellent impression of the game's mechanics and features from the preview. Expect detailed chapters dealing with Combat (10), Magic (11 - probably the hardest part to come up with for a Middle-earth RPG!), prominent (NPC) Lords of Middle-earth (12), a Bestiary (13), and appendices on various topics such as herbs & poisons and creature design in future versions of Ambarquenta.
We'd greatly appreciate to learn what you think about the preview version, and, of course, about your ideas for improving the game's existing and completing its missing chapters. We also kindly invite you and your gaming group to become playtesters of Ambarquenta, or to contribute in any other way you'd like to (e.g., by creating NPCs or creature write-ups). Probably the best way to get in touch with us and our friends who are involved in the design process of Ambarquenta is to discuss your ideas and suggestions in the Heren Turambarion's forum. Of course you can also direct any comments or inquires to olorwe@gmx.at.
While you are waiting for the Heren Turambarion to get back to you with the e-mail containing your password, you might be interested to learn a little more about our design principles: First, Ambarquenta is a fairly 'realistic' game. Of course there are magic spells (as well as other traditions of the Art) and everything else a good Middle-earth RPG requires, but certain conditions of real world physics are still represented by the system. Hence, it isn't the kind of game in which you can create ridiculously overpowered starting characters, or ever hope to become a cinematic superhero.
The second principle is playability, and this frequently overrules realism. The most accurate combat system isn't worth a penny if it makes a simple encounter last for hours, or (and this was even more important to us when we decided to write an RPG ourselves) if the Turambar has to keep too many details in mind. Thus, realism governs the character creation and improvement process (which is helped quite a lot by the character sheet), while playability dominates the actual game play. So prepare for fast-moving play-rules that are far more realistic and satisfying than those you may know from many other major roleplaying games.
Another important element is flexibility. A character has the opportunity to learn or practise any skill or ability he has access to, without the usual limitations by abstract concepts such as levels, character classes, or character points. Nevertheless, by the system's inherent mechanics, your character will show a unique pattern from the beginning on, a personal aptitude towards being whatever you want him to be...
Ambarquenta - Tales of Fate in Middle-earth © 2001-2006 Georg Witrisal and The Heren Turambarion. All rights on original contents reserved. For commercial purposes, no parts of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without permission of The Heren Turambarion. Permission granted to distribute this publication in any form, but exclusively, among the members of your playing group, provided that you have notified The Heren Turambarion by e-mailing to olorwe@gmx.at and obtained the reading password by no third party. Please note that some of the contents of this publication have been copied and modified from the books listed under 'sources of inspiration' in the 'Credits' section and are not subject to the copyright of The Heren Turambarion.