As a quarterly publication Other Hands completed its first year of publication with the January 1994 issue. Editor Chris Seeman welcomed contributions from Norman Talbot, Anders Blixt, R. Benjamin Gribbon, W. Joseph Balderson, Gerrit Nuckton, James Owen, Gunnar Brolin, and Tom Schneider. Tom Loback provided artwork. Lisa Disterheft-Solberg and Nicolas Solberg handled the layout and design.
EDITORIAL: HAPPY YESTARË!
We have made history in producing the first journal to devote itself to a specific expression of Tolkien fandom which has heretofore been the exclusive prerogative of a licensed, commercial venture. We have worked to create a worldwide community of Middle-earth gamers where none had existed (a still largely unfinished project). And we have facilitated a three way communication link between the licensers (Tolkien Enterprises), the licensees (Iron Crown Enterprises), and the consumers/audience of Tolkien-related role-playing games (you all). ‘Tis a yestarë’ to celebrate indeed!
But we have only begun to fight, as the saying goes. With this issue, we open die pages of Other Hands to your adventure scenarios. By virtue of our nonprofit status and our ecumenical commitment to welcoming the use of all game systems, we are empowered to deliver to you, the reader, not only talk about Middleearth gaming but Middle-carth gaming itself. This is our ultimate raison d’etre.
First honors for this new feature of Other Hands belong to Tom Schneider, who has offered us an exciting adventure (which I had the fortune to participate in as a player) set in Dunland during the War of the Ring, a prelude to the Battle of the Fords of Isen. Théodred sends a group of scouts to investigate rumors of an unholy alliance between the Wizard Saruman and the Dunlending clans beyond the Isen. Depending on the evidence these spies are able to uncover, Théodred may be able to convince his misinformed king of the true peril Isengard represents (thereby foiling the deceits of Wormtongue). Depending on their ingenuity, those scouts may even manage to dissuade some of the clans from allying themselves with the treacherous Wizard. The player-characters may actually end up altering (or, at least, modifying) the course of the War of the Ring by their own actions.
In addition to this ready-to-run adventure, we also offer an entire campaign background of a most unique sort. Professor Norman Talbot of Newcastle, Australia has set his literary hand to render for us an account of a Middle-carth campaign set in the far South—set, as a matter of fact, in a mythical Third Age Antipodes. He narrates the founding of the Gondorian prison colony of “Girt-by-Sea”, and the course of its history up through the beginning of the Fourth Age. In good Tolkienian tradition, Professor Talbot presents this history as a “found manuscript,” overflowing with tantalizing allusions and lacunae at every turn. A delight to read.
Continuing this issue’s theme of finding out what kind of Middle-earth campaigns our readers actually play, veteran Other Hands contributor Anders Blixt and newcomers R. Benjamin Gribbon and W. Joe Balderson have given us reports of games past and present. Gerrit Nuckton has, in a similar vein, devoted a short piece to the particularly popular adventure motif of “the return” and how it might be put to use in a Middle-carth campaign.
Joe and Ben themselves make a quick return in the first of (hopefully) many more essays on Tolkien’s treatment of magic in Middle-earth, following close on the heels of Andrew McMurry’s article from last issue. Also making a return to us (with a vengeance) is James Owen of Middle-earth metallurgy fame, following up his cursory remarks on forging technology from last issue with a (most thorough) “how to” guide for developing realistic metallurgical principles in a gaming context. Finally, the debate over the population of Gondor and Arnor begun last issue continues with Gunnar Brolin’s response to Jason Beresford’s response to Gunnar’s initial article on this topic.
As announced last issue, we have written up an address list so that our subscribers will be able to find out whether they have any fellow readers of Other Hands nearby. This list is available only to our subscribers and will not be circulated for any other purpose. But while you are busy writing to your co-readers, don’t forget to write to Other Hands—our “Communications” section has gotten off to a good start this issue, and we hope that more letters will be coming in. By the way, your journal editor is now on America Online and the Internet, so don’t hesitate to drop me a line, or send submissions (submissions are via Internet only— “holonet” address), if you have access to either.
Chris shares some email addresses
You may download Other Hands Issue 4 for free either from Other Minds’ Other Hands archive or MERP.Com’s Other Hands archive.