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'''MerpCon''' is an acronym for "Middle-Earth Role Playing Convention", a [[role playing game convention]] dedicated solely to role-playing gaming in [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]'s [[Middle-earth]]. The event is held each year during the last weekend of July and runs for 3 days from Friday, through to the end of Sunday (and sometimes a little into the following Monday morning). To date MerpCon has been held each year in [[Spokane]], WA, USA.
The event began with [[MerpCon I]] in 2005, followed by [[MerpCon II]] in 2006, [[MerpCon III]] in 2007, [[MerpCon IV]] in 2008, and [[MerpCon V]] is now being prepared for 2009.
==Event details==
The event is focused on paper and dice based [[Role playing games]], with the emphasis being role playing gaming set in J. R. R. Tolkien's [[Middle-earth]], using any role playing game system adapted or created for play in Middle-earth or any aspect of Tolkien's universe (Middle-earth, [[Endor]], [[Arda]] or [[Eä]] depending on your perspective of how broadly one wants to make it).
During the event, the MerpCon website also enables remote participation globally to some degree, by providing the live webcams, streaming audio, and live real time chat rooms (using [[Internet Relay Chat]]).
The "MERP" portion of the name is not to be confused with, or thought of as exclusively [[Iron Crown Enterprises]]' [[MERP]] ([[Middle-earth Role Playing]]) game system, although that is certainly one of the many game systems used to play during the event.
===Special Guests===
A number of [[MerpCon Guest Speakers]] have been at each event, including noted Tolkien scholars, doctors, professors, and published authors.
Guest speakers to date include:
* Professor [[Chris Seeman]], from Iowa, USA, professor of [[theology]]. Spoke 2005 and 2007.
* [[Michael Martinez]], computer scientist, published author and Tolkien essayist. Spoke 2006, 2007, and 2008.
* [[Doctor Thomas Morwinksy]], from Munich, Germany, doctor of [[entomology]] for the German Government's military. Spoke 2007
* [[Hawke Robinson]], from Washington, USA, retired computer scientist published by the [[SANS Institute]]. Spoke 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008.
* [[Joe Mandala]], from Kansas, USA. Spoke 2007.
* [[Cason Snow]], from Illinois, USA, librarian. Spoke 2007.
* [[John D. Rateliff]], from Seattle, WA, USA. Author of [[The History of the Hobbit]], and many role-playing gaming contributions over the decades. Spoke 2008.
===Campaign Settings Overview===
[[MerpCon I]]'s campaign was set in the final 2 weeks before the [[Fall of Númenor]] as detailed in the [[Akallabêth]] in ''[[The Silmarillion]]'' by [[J. R. R. Tolkien]]. Professor [[Chris Seeman]] provides a review of that campaign here: [http://merpcon.merp.com/newsarchives/merpcon-2005-report-part-1-chris-seemans-review/] "Report on MerpCon 2005".
[[MerpCon II]]'s campaign was set in [[Umbar]] shortly after the [[Fall of Númenor]], and before the establishment of the Kingdoms In Exile: [[Gondor]] and [[Arnor]]. Those kingdoms were formed approximately one year after "The Fall". Published author and Tolkien Scholar [[Michael Martinez]] provides some feedback on this campaign in his blog under the title "The IMPire Lives and I've Got A Wall of Fire" [http://www.michael-martinez.com/oldblog/2006_08_01_archive.html].
[[MerpCon III]] was set earlier in the [[Second Age]] than the previous two conventions, on the shores of Northwestern [[Middle-earth]]. This was a time period when the [[Númenóreans]] first made contact with the "lesser" men, who were under the terror of the shadow of [[Sauron]] and his minions. The Númenóreans came as benefactors, teachers, and defenders. In later centuries they returned more as conquerors demanding tribute. Joe Mandala provides a review[http://www.guildcompanion.com/scrolls/2007/aug/merpconoverdose.html] of MerpCon III in August 2007 issue of the [[The Guild Companion]]
[[MerpCon IV]] provided several different adventures from different campaign authors and Game/Dungeon Masters. This was the first year a youth table was provided (players ranging from 8 to 17 years of age).
Whereas previous MerpCon events were mostly centered around the Númenóreans and the descendants, MerpCon IV's theme was heavily focused on J.R.R. Tolkien's [[Dwarves]] both for adventuring and for the guest speaker topics.
One campaign was provided by published author, [[John D. Rateliff]], set in the [[Long Lake]] area. The [[Dungeons & Dragons]] 3.5 and [[Eä d20]] 3.5 rules were used.
Another campaign was provided by Chris Wade, his infamous [[Tol Fuin]] campaign. The [[Rolemaster Fantasy Role Playing]] rules were used.
The youth campaign was set in the Iron Hills. The [[Eä d20]] 3.5 rules were used.
==Role Playing Game Systems==
MerpCon has always been intended to support multiple game systems, but not until MerpCon III has this actually been able to happen.
Previous events did not have enough additional Game Masters fluent in systems other than the legacy ICE MERP, and more than half of the participants were already used to the system that has been out of print since 1999 when [[Tolkien Enterprises]] forced [[Iron Crown Enterprises]] into bankruptcy.
[[Decipher Inc]] owned the rights to produce products based on [[The Hobbit]] and the [[Lord of the Rings]] until the middle of Summer 2007 when the company decided not to renew. Currently no one has the exclusive [[RPG]] publishing right for [[J.R.R. Tolkien]] in the USA. Though there are several role playing gaming systems that have been under development and/or release for several years now, including:
* [[Ambarquenta]]
* [[Hitherlands]]
* [[Eä d20]]
* [[Eä RPGS]]
There are many projects that have adapted existing game systems to better fit into Middle-eath ranging from the early years of [[Dungeons & Dragons]], [[GURPS]], and [[Runequest]], to many other systems that many claim are already meant indirectly for Middle-earth gaming, such as [[Harnmaster]].
MerpCon now supports many game systems due to multiple game masters and a greater variety of participants' gaming background interests. A lot of the renewed interest may be due to the earlier releases of the [[Peter Jackson]] [[Lord of the Rings Movies]], causing a revival of interest in role playing in [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]'s [[Middle-earth]].
The game systems now supported include:
* [[Iron Crown Enterprises]] [[MERP]] 2nd Edition
* [[Decipher]] [[Lord of the Rings Role Playing Game]]
* [[Iron Crown Enterprises]] [[Rolemaster]] (adapted to Middle-earth)
* [[Iron Crown Enterprises]] [[HARP]] (adapted to Middle-earth)
* [[Wizards of the Coast]] [[Dungeons & Dragons]] [[d20 System|d20]] Version 3.5 (adaptation known as "[[Eä d20]]")
* [[Runequest]] the newly released revival of this system (adapted to Middle-earth)
==Related Events==
There are a few other [[gaming conventions]] that sometimes host a role playing gaming session with a campaign set in Middle-earth in their event. These conventions include but are not limited to:
* [[DundraCon]]
==References==
{{reflist}}
* [http://www.merpcon.com/guest-speakers MerpCon Guest Speaker Biographies page]
* [http://www.merp.com/wikis/ChrisSeemanReportOnMerpConI Professor Chris Seeman provides a review of MerpCon I]
* [http://www.michael-martinez.com Michael Martinez's main website] and [http://www.michael-martinez.com/oldblog/2006/08/impire-lives-and-ive-got-wall-of-fire.html blog article] specifically mentioning his participation in MerpCon II
* [http://www.guildcompanion.com/scrolls/2007/aug/merpconoverdose.html The Guild Companion's Joe Mandala Review of MerpCon III]
==External links==
* [http://www.merpcon.org The MerpCon Official website]
* [http://www.merp.com The Merp.com website]
* [http://www.decipher.com Decipher website]
* [http://www.ironcrown.com Iron Crown Enterprises website]
* [http://www.earpg.com The Eä Role-playing Game System website]
* [http://www.numenorproject.com The Numenor Project website]
* [http://ambarquenta.com The Ambarquenta RPG website]
* [http://www.hither-lands.com The Hither Lands RPG website]
* [http://www.other-minds.com The Other Minds Magazine website]
[[Category:J. R. R. Tolkien]]
[[Category:Gaming Convention]]
[[Category:Role Playing Game Convention]]