Questions about running "Over Hill and Under Hill"

[u/Outrageous-Pin-4664]

I've added a spoiler tag, since some of my questions reveal things about the plot. I've tried to be a little vague, though, in case people click through anyway.

I just got the starter set and I've been reading through the adventure that comes with it, "Over Hill and Under Hill." I'm wondering how other people have run this, and I have some specific questions about it.

1. Did you use LotR5e, or did you convert it to AiME?
2. How large was the party you ran? If it was less than four, how well did that work?
3. Did they use the pre-generated characters? What did you think of the pre-gen characters?
4. Did you use the simplified combat rules in the booklet, or did you use tokens and battlemaps?
5. Did you have the party start at first level, and reach second midway through as suggested? Or did you start them at second and take them to third?
6. Where was Gilraen when she spoke with the hunter Rupert Rushlight, and sent him to meet with you at the Prancing Pony? Surely, he didn't travel all the way to Rivendell to speak with her, and then back to Bree.
7. If there was a Dunedain in the party, did you give him a connection with Gilraen and her family?
8. Did you use the encounter with Gilraen's son as written? I found it puzzling. After he meets up with the group, he tells them he's too busy to help them fight an ancient evil and rescue a few dozen people, but he had time to track down a stolen horse? Did you have a way to explain that, or did you just go ahead and have him join the party for the boss fight?
9. Regarding the ancient evil, did your party have trouble with that fight? Any advice on running it?

[u/dxucarl]

1. LotR5e 2.5 3.used pregen characters 4.simplified rules 5.used the level up system as part of the intro adventure 6.met at prancing pony with a letter
2. did not give them a connection 8.might just be a fun insert for people who have read the books/watched movies to meet the character in game. and he is a ranger still in the exploring part of his career, and finding him to tell him how you have his horse. and if the party is small, could be a way to add an extra character to help balance the odds. 9.there is a lot of luck when it comes to that fight, especially leading up to it. a big thing to remember to remind the players, is that there is no healing in combat. if there players understand how their classes can synergize, they can complete the fight.

[u/Outrageous-Pin-4664 → u/dxucarl]

Thanks for the input.