MERP MIDDLE-EARTH ROLE PLAYING TOLKIEN LOTR MOVIE BOOKS GAME

Posts: 351 · Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2004 11:02 pm

OUCH! No wonder I did not recognize it! Crap..that Ardor map is probably worth up to $50 on Ebay...and without me bidding on it!!!!

Posts: 1573 · Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2004 11:23 pm

Yeah. . . well I made the offer and Mr. Deadlord does need it for his collection. . .

I just hope he remembers that he owes me one. Twisted Evil

( A lot of good shit's been coming your way lately, hasn't it Frank? ) Smile

Posts: 4716 · Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2004 12:46 am

I will remember. In fact, I'll sell that extra Ardor and split it with you. Morgan, what does Ardor go for, around $300 or so?

Posts: 351 · Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2004 7:43 am

Deadlord.

Sigh...Court of Ardor averages $100. As stated, It had gone for as much as $300. Typically, the map and the book are worth about $25 and $75 repsectively. The maps are of course more rare than the books.

Posts: 541 · Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2004 4:53 pm

Hello to all the MERP fans. Just curious, is there a site similar to the Acaeum where you can discuss your hobby? I am not trying to come across as an ass but isn't this a D&D/TSR collector site? Smile

Happy collecting,
Burntwire

Posts: 1756 · Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2004 4:58 pm

Hi Burntwire. I have posted many times on this site - maybe you think I should post elsewhere as I buy MERP as well as D&D (and other games)?

No I doubt you are an ass but that is the kind of post an unfriendly ass would make.

Posts: 162 · Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2004 5:25 pm

burntwire wrote:

Hello to all the MERP fans. Just curious, is there a site similar to the Acaeum where you can discuss your hobby? I am not trying to come across as an ass but isn't this a D&D/TSR collector site? Smile

Happy collecting,
Burntwire

I haven't found one. MERP internet sites are pathetic and stagnant (as are most D&D sites for that matter! ) Unfortunately this is the only messageboard with even the faintest of pulses.

It also bares mentioning that most MERP collectors are D&D collectors too. Isn't MERP what D&D left on the table when they decided not to pay the Tolkien estate for JRR's ideas?

I think of MERP as non-TSR D&D material of the highest quality. Every book begins with an instructional on how to use MERP items with other gaming systems, ie. D&D. I don't really see the harm with a few MERP threads but if the admins want us to stop I'll respect their decision. Though I expect that all these MERP conversations will die a natural death very shortly as we get things off our chests after being silent on this stuff for so long.

Posts: 1756 · Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2004 5:32 pm

I don't think this board is threatened by a few MERP threads. I collect MERP, D&D and Cthulhu. On the latter, yog-sothoth.com (which is a truly fabulous site) has a very active message board but little activity on collecting.

You could set something up on MERP - but look there are only half a dozen people posting on this - I doubt there is the interest (someone please prove me wrong)...

Posts: 351 · Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2004 5:33 pm

Gotta say...MERP is what brought me here (for better or worse...here I am). I only found out about this site from red_bus after I was mentioned as a valid reseller of MERP a couple of years ago. I have read the forum and used the info to better myself since. This includes the other areas such as the mold info...grading...D&D prices...etc. It was what got me interested in collecting TSR/WOC products again...and now....it is what has caused me to end my reselling (soon as its all gone Deadlord) practices and sell off my other gaming stuff....full circle almost. Course, the recent attacks by Deadlord is what caused me to join in the fray.

Also, I have looked into other MERP forums and they are either private or stale. LOTR has some and the books/movies more. Decipher's game sucks. And well....here I am in the middle.

Posts: 541 · Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2004 5:34 pm

Thanks myalbinogorilla. I don't collect MERP and was unaware that there were no good sites. Red_bus, I wasn't trying to tell you to quit posting on the Acaeum, I just figured there was a similar site for MERP collectors.

Happy collecting,
Shawn

Posts: 1756 · Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2004 6:50 pm

thanks - and no worries Shawn nor offence taken. There aren't may of us out there I think, so it is a bit of a minority pursuit.

which of course reminds me - I need about three MERP items to make a mint set - anyone wanna trade????

Posts: 351 · Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2004 6:59 pm

red_bus wrote:

thanks - and no worries Shawn nor offence taken. There aren't may of us out there I think, so it is a bit of a minority pursuit.

which of course reminds me - I need about three MERP items to make a mint set - anyone wanna trade????

Hey...what do you need...if I have it, I will pull it and give it to you...You were great as a buyer and as I think a friend for a time. Think of it as a payment on my debt of gratitude.

Posts: 18 · Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2004 7:02 pm

I just saw Hands of the Healer go for $71. I lost by $1! Blast!

Posts: 351 · Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2004 4:32 pm

I believe that we all can now understand and appreciate where each of us is coming from regarding the pricing of MERP items (although whether we agree with each other in totallity is another matter). Therefore, I changed the title of this thread. It is my hope that all matters regarding MERP be added to this post rather than elsewhere. This would be helpful to keep the Acaeum from being cluttered with MERP info (since it is truly a D&D site), but will also allow members to discuss MERP in a single thread (since we all know there is not another really good place to do so...also...there seems to be some overlap of MERP collecting with D&D as of late). Perhaps it would be wise to make the thread a sticky thread so that others do not add additional MERP postings and make the site more cluttered? Anyone have some input?

Posts: 1573 · Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2004 7:26 am

Morgansurname wrote:

Quote:

there seems to be some overlap of MERP collecting with D&D as of late). Perhaps it would be wise to make the thread a sticky thread so that others do not add additional MERP postings and make the site more cluttered?

I agree. . . but I wonder whether the thread should encompass a variety of non- Dungeons & Dragons RPG's? There's a lot of cross-over collecting that extends well beyond MERP and D&D. We can discount a lot of the modern games, but RPG's such as Rolemaster, Tunnels & Trolls, Chivalry & Sorcery, Tekumel, Warhammer & a variety of others would all seem to fit the profile.

Again, not to clutter up or take away from this being a D&D site, but all of the above have close ties to Dungeons & Dragons. Most of us played (or utilized in some way) at least a few of those games and still seek them for their collection. References and queries about the above surface occasionally in other threads, so having a separate "sticky" that addresses "other RPG's" wouldn't be too off the wall. I don't see that it would detract from this being a pure D&D site - though, I don't know that the desire to post to such a thread would be very high.

Others collect a lot more than I and may have more relevant input. Question

Posts: 4716 · Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2004 8:13 am

I'd love to discuss other RPG's.
Breach, the maps came! Thanks a million. I'll have a present out for you in a day or two.

Posts: 1756 · Posted: Wed Jun 16, 2004 4:50 pm

me too - i love collecting cthulhu but cannot in all honesty claim that it is any way related to D&D.

Posts: 58 · Posted: Tue Aug 31, 2004 4:47 am

While we are talking about MERP stuff, I am (as noted elsewhere) selling off some old stuff and I have a copy of what appears to be the first printing of the Middle Earth Role Playing system published in 1984. Is there somewhere I could look for information to verify that this is a first printing and maybe get a clue as to value?

According to other sites, this is the book which preceeded the '1st edition' MERP rulebook published in 1986 - i.e. it was the first MERP publication as far as I can determine.

Carl

Posts: 4716 · Posted: Tue Aug 31, 2004 8:00 am

What does the cover look like?

Posts: 58 · Posted: Tue Aug 31, 2004 8:39 am

FRONT COVER

It has a red border, picture showing an adventuring party (holding torches in a cave and sitting/standing on a pile of gold and treasure with some kind of skeletal wraiths lurking in the darkness) in the middle.

Title (MIDDLE-EARTH ROLE PLAYING TM) in black writing over the red border at the top, not overlapping with the art.

"a complete system for adventuring in J.R.R. TOLKIEN'S WORLD" in white writing centered at the top of the art.

"Includes a sample adventure in the TROLLSHAWS" in white writing at the bottom of the art. "Based on THE HOBBIT & THE LORD OF THE RINGS, MIDDLE EARTH ROLE-PLAYING is perfect for the seasoned players as well as those who have never experienced the three of fantasy role playing. Produced and distributed by IRON CROWN ENTERPRISES, INC. Stock #RP 8000

The rear cover text is also different from that of the 1986 publication:

Role playing is a type of game which allows a person to assume the role of a character in a "living" novel. MIDDLE-EARTH ROLE PLAYING, M.E.R.P. for short, provides the structure and framework for role playing in the greatest fantasy setting of all time... J.R.R. TOLKIEN'S MIDDLE-EARTH.

MERP contains in one book all of the components required to play a fantasy role playing game: a complete character development systems covering Hobbits, Elves, Dwarves, etc. ; realistic yet playable rules for combat; a simple but comprehensive magic system; detailed guidelines for gamemasters; material covering poisons, healing, weather, magic items, MIDDLE-EARTH creatures, encounters and much more.
MIDDLE-EARTH ROLE PLAYING can be used with a wide variety of game aids, including the MIDDLE-EARTH GUIDEBOOK and POSTER/MAP, a series of specific adventure modules, a series of general campaign modules, and ROLEMASTER, IRON CROWN'S FRP game system.

This text is overlaid with a white compass arrow and below the text is a couple of photos showing a poster map and a set of books (Isengard, Mirkwood, Ardor, angmar, Umbar, Mirkwood) on a blue background.

Below that is the text:
The adventure modules will include:
- BREE and the Barrow-Downs
- DAGORLAD and the Dead Marshes
- CIRITH UNGOL and Shelob's Lair
- HILLMEN of the Trollshaws

IRON CROWN ENTERPRISES holds the exclusive worldwide license for FANTASY ROLE PLAYING and ADULT BOARD GAMES based on THE LORD OF THE RINGS and THE HOBBIT.

Opposite a picture of the BREE and the Barrow Downs cover.

And next to that copyright and trademark information and the ISBN 0-915795-18-3

Do you have any idea how many printings there were of the 1984 version?

Carl