Nameless Things

Cosmic Horror in Middle-earth

Welcome to Nameless Things, a small, strange crossover between the bucolic countryside of Tolkien’s Middle-earth and the unspeakable eldritch horrors of H. P. Lovecraft. Middle-earth is already ripe with horrors, from the “nameless things” that gnaw the depths of the world, to the undead Barrow-Wights and Nazgul, to primordial spirits such as Ungoliant and her descendants. Likewise, the idealized vision of the English countryside that is the Shire is easy to reimagine as a place of secrets and decay, with insular and suspicious hobbits peering out of noisome holes, corrupt and degenerate families falling from nobility into shocking ignorance and monstrous habits, and seekers after lore and power whose minds are blasted by what they find.

Nameless Things is set in Middle-earth several hundred years after the events of The Lord of the Rings. Great names such as King Elessar are the stuff of legend, the Elves are all vanished and only half-believed in, and the world is a dark and fallen place.

Nameless Things uses the Savage Worlds Adventure Edition rules, with alterations as noted here.

Setting Rules

The following setting rules are in play:

• Abstract Wealth: Characters roll a Wealth die instead of counting coins.
• Civilized Folks: Weapon armor or carrying a large weapon where it’s considered inappropriate imposes a Persuasion penalty (½ armor value, -2 for a weapon).
• Difficult Healing (Horror Companion): Only one healing roll per Wound.
• Dynamic Backlash: A critical failure on an arcane skill roll forces a player to roll on a special table.
• Gritty Damage: When Wild Cards take a wound, they roll on the Injury table and apply the result.
• Hard Choices: The GM’s characters only get bennies when the players spend theirs. Jokers no longer generate bennies.
• More Skill Points: Start with 15 skill points instead of 12.
• Multiple Languages: Characters know half their Smarts die type in different languages at d6.
• No Power Points: Those casting spells don’t track Power Points but instead subtract half the listed Power Point cost (round up) from their skill roll to activate the ability. Powers may be maintained as desired at a −1 penalty to all further arcane skill rolls.
• Skill Specializations: Characters choose a specialization when taking each skill and subtract 2 when using other variations.
• Unarmored Hero: Wild cards without armor add +2 to their Soak rolls.
• Wild Cards (Horror Companion): Most characters and monsters are Wild Cards.

The Heroes

Character people and role player name	Parry	Toughness	Edges	Hindrances	Attributes	Notes
Name people role Player	5	5	Edge01 Edge02 Edge03 Edge04	Hindrance01 Hindrance02 Hindrance03 Hindrance04	Agility d6 Sanity d6 Smarts d6 Spirit d6 Strength d6 Vigor d6
Name people role Player	5	5	Edge01 Edge02 Edge03 Edge04	Hindrance01 Hindrance02 Hindrance03 Hindrance04	Agility d6 Sanity d6 Smarts d6 Spirit d6 Strength d6 Vigor d6
Name people role Player	5	5	Edge01 Edge02 Edge03 Edge04	Hindrance01 Hindrance02 Hindrance03 Hindrance04	Agility d6 Sanity d6 Smarts d6 Spirit d6 Strength d6 Vigor d6
Name people role Player	5	5	Edge01 Edge02 Edge03 Edge04	Hindrance01 Hindrance02 Hindrance03 Hindrance04	Agility d6 Sanity d6 Smarts d6 Spirit d6 Strength d6 Vigor d6
Name people role Player	5	5	Edge01 Edge02 Edge03 Edge04	Hindrance01 Hindrance02 Hindrance03 Hindrance04	Agility d6 Sanity d6 Smarts d6 Spirit d6 Strength d6 Vigor d6
Name people role Player	5	5	Edge01 Edge02 Edge03 Edge04	Hindrance01 Hindrance02 Hindrance03 Hindrance04	Agility d6 Sanity d6 Smarts d6 Spirit d6 Strength d6 Vigor d6

Important NPCs

Character	Appearance	Personality	Notes
Name people and role	description	personality	notes
Name people and role	description	personality	notes
Name people and role	description	personality	notes
Name people and role	description	personality	notes
Name people and role	description	personality	notes

More Rules

The Peoples

Men (Big Folk)

Some Men dwell in the Bree-land, though many more hail from the lands beyond. Men stand between five and six feet tall with a variety of hair and skin tones. Some claim descent from the Dunedain, the Rangers of the North.

• Adaptable: Men start with a free bonus edge, which may be any edge they qualify for.

Hobbits (Little Folk)

The inhabitants of the Shire, though many Hobbits live in Bree-land as well.

Most Hobbits stand a little over three feet tall, with curly brown hair on their heads and feet. They favor green and yellow clothing, and six meals a day when they can get them.

• Plucky: Hobbits start with a d6 in Spirit instead of a d4. This increases maximum Spirit to d12+1.
• Quick and Quiet: Hobbits excel at moving quietly, and start with a d6 in Stealth instead of d4.
• Small: Hobbits average three feet in height and weigh 40 to 50 pounds. Their Size is -1.

Dwarves (Bearded Folk)

Dwarves may hail from the Blue Mountains, Khazad-dûm, or even far distant Erebor or the Iron Hills. Though few make their homes near Bree, they are often seen on the road passing through on business of their own. Dwarf merchants are popular and respected, and their wares are of the highest quality.

Dwarves average four feet tall and are very broad. Their long beards (sometimes forked) are often brown or black, and sometimes yellow, red or even blue. They favor hooded cloaks.

• Make Light of Burdens: Dwarves start with a d6 in Strength instead of a d4. This increases maximum Strength to d12+1.
• Born Crafter: Dwarves start with a d4 in Repair.
• Outsider: Dwarves are reclusive and insular, and both Men and Hobbits are never quite comfortable around them. Dwarves subtract 2 from Persuasion rolls except with other Dwarves.