I forgot to mention how much I love the cover artwork for this book! It takes second place to Moria for me. What is your favourite cover? And what is your favourite One Ring book so far?
Great video! Right now I'm running a game as GM for my friends, and I have been using both Ruins of the Lost Realm and Tales of the Lone-Lands(as well as some stuff I made up). There are 6 players and none of them have had any issue with the "protagonist" character. I treated it with the same importance as the other characters' backstories, it's just that it is important for the main story. Right now we finished chapter IV in 8 sessions, and as it is now, I don't think the characters are strong enough to succeed at completing the final step of the campaign. That's why I have thought of treating the adventures in Tales from the Lone-Lands as "main quest" adventures, and the adventures in the Ruins of the Lost Realm as "secondary quests". Having established the stakes of the campaign after the second chapter of Tales, I have treated the final goal of the campaign as the Collector Base in Mass Effect 2. You know there is an inminent threat, but you don't know how to stop it, and you're definitely not strong enough to do it: It's a suicide mission. I use the rumors as a way to let the players choose where to go, and explore those secondary adventures from Ruins. That way they can get stronger, gather allies, search for famous weapons and artifacts... Just like in Mass Effect 2, you can throw yourself at the final mission without preparing, but you won't be as successful, and there will be fatal casualties. Finally, I try to create a feeling of "open worldness" so they think and plan where to go and what to search for. That leaves me some room to make up little scenarios, that work as side "mini quests". Sorry for the long comment 😅. I hope it helps some of you to get some ideas about how to run this campaign. So far it has been one of the most fulfilling roleplaying experiences I've ever had!
Great review! I'm currently Loremastering it for my boys and we've completed the first two adventures and we're all loving it. As a huge Tolkein fan, the little touches that you mention, such as Túrin's grave, are very good. I think I have to agree with you - Ruins of the Lost Realm is a terrific sourcebook with some amazing detail and landmarks but Tales from the Lone-Lands is far better. It is eaxctly the type of book I love and hope that Free League/Fria Ligan pursue this style of book more often. And never let go of Gareth Hanrahan! Thanks for sharing this.
Thank you for a relevant and inspiring review, I've had this book in my shopping cart for a while now. I love all the books from this game. I havent had a chance to play it yet but I collect them in vain hope for a future campaign for my regular players :D This campaignbook is pure magic in its sweet sad poetic name and the vast and unforgiving landscape of the cover art. For me, it brings back the sweet nostalgia of reading Tolkien for the first time as a 13 year old
Love Ruins of Lost Realm. I ran the first three adventures for my crew. As a Loremaster, I needed to reshape the adventures into leaner highlights for easier reference during play. Also, it would be great to have maps without the numbers that can be shared with players.
Love the video, I think both styles of books are great, one for the lore seekers and one for the players but yes i think they could just put both books together in a larger book, makes more sense to do that then to separate them.
Two things 1: So glad you made this I was looking for a short review for this book on friday but couldn't find one, so thanks. 2: What should I get after the starter set? Tomorrow I'm going to get the starter set but where should I go from there?
I think it depends on if whether you are looking for. 'Tales from the Lone Lands' is better if you want a complete campaign to play (much less work as a Loremaster). 'Ruins of the Lost Realm' is better if you want to have lots of information to make your own adventures. Or, if Moria really interests you that book will be out later this year. It is also more of a source-book like 'Ruins' instead of a campaign.
@@samuelwillliams7333i think you atleast need the core rules, the starter set atleast doesn't cover even nearly all of them, as for the dice it's a convenience, and you can just get any old D12s and D6s if you wanna save money ^^
@@samuelwillliams7333 Oh yeah, the core rules is definitely worth it if you are going to play this game a lot. As for extra dice, you probably don't need them unless you want your players to have them.
I love all your content on the One Ring! It's encouraged me to run some games as the Loremaster. I would love to try it as a hero, but I haven't found others local to me that like the system enough to run it. Have you had similar issues with finding a LM, or have you played any sessions on roll20 with a LM?
I mostly play solo using Strider Mode though I have done a few sessions with some friends in person. If you are willing to play online I'd suggest looking on Reddit or the One Ring Discord. I have seen people post on both those places looking for groups. Otherwise, if you have a local game store you might be able to pitch showing off the game there and then hopefully someone will get into enough that they could run it for you. Hope this helps!
Great stuff as always! I get the impression i wanna get Ruins of the Lost Realm for starting the main campaign after the starter set, where i wanna try out some of your adventures and possibly create some of my own, before diving into the Tales from the Lone Lands, especially as i get the impression it is more fit for higher lvl players anyways? Or is the difficulty level easily enough changed to fit the players at any stage of their campaign?
I don't think the players need to be high level necessarily. But it might be worth it to give them a head's up so they can lean in to the idea and are prepared for the Shadow.
I am running that, and am well at the big event of the second step I will say, it can be brutal Seconded on the layout, I am having to rewrite notes to gather relevant info in a coherent and connected set, rather than flipping back and forward Lastly, I wish there were maps WITHOUT numbers on them. I am glad that at least I have the PDFs from the KS campaign and can screenshot an d edit the maps, but that is a bit of a faff Otherwise, very atmospheric and very good, despite my complaints above
Just finished reading through the pdf and holy hell these adventures are phenomenal, i love how they show the more grim, dark side of middle earth. My favourite lotr quote is Eomer talking about Merry "When the fear takes him, and the blood, and the horror of battle take hold, do you think he would stand and fight? He would flee, and he would be RIGHT to do so." And tales from the lone lands really does a great job at bringing out the horror of this world. I was even tempted to add some Call of Cthulhu insanity mechanics to it 😅
@@KurtFritz67 I'm afraid i dont remember, one of those PDF-selling sites. I don't think free league sells pdfs separately unfortunately 🤷♂️ Just make sure to check the legitimacy of a site before you use it, asking an AI about it is probably the easiest way.
How are you able to play the campaign in Strider Mode? Presumably you would have to read the adventures first (as a loremaster), which would spoil everything, so that when you play it as a solo player, you already know all the big reveals and plot elements, which doesn't sound fun. Unless you read them as you play, paragraph by paragraph, so as not to spoil anything? The whole fun of playing a premade adventure as a player is that you don't know what will happen, it's a new experience, like reading a book for the first time with no spoilers. I don't see how it would be fun if you already know everything that will happen because you already read it in loremaster mode first, in order to run it.
I read through the entire book first before playing it. The solo experience is very different when you know all the big plot elements. When playing it I know that someone will try to ambush me here (for example) but my character doesn't. So I have to just try to imagine what my character would do with the information he has. I use the whole thing as a writing exercise to try and write the adventure like a novel. There are certainly pros and cons but I have enjoyed it a lot. I've also made a separate video on Strider Mode that I talk a bit more about this kind of thing.
@@willattheworldsend ah okay, thanks for the response! I know that some people treat solo RPGs as a journalling/writing exercise, but I have tried it and don't find it fun. I play it like a choose your own adventure, using the oracles/AI constantly so that everything ends up being a surprise for which I have no foreknowledge. Unfortunately, this style of play makes it impossible to enjoy prewritten adventures, since it's not fun (for me) when I already know all the plot twists beforehand.
Would you say the expansion books are fairly interchangeable? Like could you use Tales from the lone lands in LotRrpg? Or tales from Eriador in The one ring?
I haven't looked through the expansions for LOTR RP so I can't say for sure. I think they should be able to work fairly well since the expansions are mostly just story elements so most of the content should be the exact same between versions. It probably would help to have a good understanding of D&D 5e rules and TOR 2e rules so that you could convert stat blocks and mechanics well.
@@willattheworldsend yeah I guess I'm trying to figure out if the contents of the books is exactly the same except for the mechanics? Like is the content of the new moria books identical except for mechanics? Or is there a benefit to owning both books? Thanks for replying and keep up the good work.
@@Old_Wizard_Minis Oh yes, the contents in the books will be the exact same. The only thing that will be different is how the mechanics are presented and the cover art.
I've started a play through of the book and love some of the themes, I think it'll be great to create a LOTR-esque adventure. But I don't like the layout/style of these adventures. There are no effective summaries, and very important details are hidden throughout, leaving a lot of work for GMs to do on their own. It's not really acceptable in 2024, when there are clearly better ways. As a result, all three of the TOR2 supplements (counting Moria) tend to feel more like they're fiction intended to entertain readers rather than providing materials for GMs.
I forgot to mention how much I love the cover artwork for this book! It takes second place to Moria for me.
What is your favourite cover? And what is your favourite One Ring book so far?
Thanks for this very important coverage! Love your content!
Great video! Right now I'm running a game as GM for my friends, and I have been using both Ruins of the Lost Realm and Tales of the Lone-Lands(as well as some stuff I made up).
There are 6 players and none of them have had any issue with the "protagonist" character. I treated it with the same importance as the other characters' backstories, it's just that it is important for the main story.
Right now we finished chapter IV in 8 sessions, and as it is now, I don't think the characters are strong enough to succeed at completing the final step of the campaign. That's why I have thought of treating the adventures in Tales from the Lone-Lands as "main quest" adventures, and the adventures in the Ruins of the Lost Realm as "secondary quests".
Having established the stakes of the campaign after the second chapter of Tales, I have treated the final goal of the campaign as the Collector Base in Mass Effect 2. You know there is an inminent threat, but you don't know how to stop it, and you're definitely not strong enough to do it: It's a suicide mission.
I use the rumors as a way to let the players choose where to go, and explore those secondary adventures from Ruins. That way they can get stronger, gather allies, search for famous weapons and artifacts... Just like in Mass Effect 2, you can throw yourself at the final mission without preparing, but you won't be as successful, and there will be fatal casualties.
Finally, I try to create a feeling of "open worldness" so they think and plan where to go and what to search for. That leaves me some room to make up little scenarios, that work as side "mini quests".
Sorry for the long comment 😅. I hope it helps some of you to get some ideas about how to run this campaign.
So far it has been one of the most fulfilling roleplaying experiences I've ever had!
That sounds great! Thanks for sharing!
Great review! I'm currently Loremastering it for my boys and we've completed the first two adventures and we're all loving it. As a huge Tolkein fan, the little touches that you mention, such as Túrin's grave, are very good. I think I have to agree with you - Ruins of the Lost Realm is a terrific sourcebook with some amazing detail and landmarks but Tales from the Lone-Lands is far better. It is eaxctly the type of book I love and hope that Free League/Fria Ligan pursue this style of book more often. And never let go of Gareth Hanrahan! Thanks for sharing this.
Thank you for a relevant and inspiring review, I've had this book in my shopping cart for a while now. I love all the books from this game. I havent had a chance to play it yet but I collect them in vain hope for a future campaign for my regular players :D
This campaignbook is pure magic in its sweet sad poetic name and the vast and unforgiving landscape of the cover art. For me, it brings back the sweet nostalgia of reading Tolkien for the first time as a 13 year old
Very well done, great review! It sounds so amazing that I’ll have to grab my own copy! Great video as always!
Well packed review, thanks! Got the book on preorder few months ago and I loved it!
Also I noticed that the art is leveling up! :D
Yes! I forgot to mention the art in this one but it is really good!
Cheers Will. I just got this the other day, and can’t wait to get stuck into it!
Love Ruins of Lost Realm. I ran the first three adventures for my crew.
As a Loremaster, I needed to reshape the adventures into leaner highlights for easier reference during play. Also, it would be great to have maps without the numbers that can be shared with players.
If you join The One Ring discord server, someone has added the maps without numbers, I think.
@ thanks for the tip. I’ll check it out
Love the video, I think both styles of books are great, one for the lore seekers and one for the players but yes i think they could just put both books together in a larger book, makes more sense to do that then to separate them.
Two things
1: So glad you made this I was looking for a short review for this book on friday but couldn't find one, so thanks.
2: What should I get after the starter set? Tomorrow I'm going to get the starter set but where should I go from there?
I think it depends on if whether you are looking for. 'Tales from the Lone Lands' is better if you want a complete campaign to play (much less work as a Loremaster). 'Ruins of the Lost Realm' is better if you want to have lots of information to make your own adventures. Or, if Moria really interests you that book will be out later this year. It is also more of a source-book like 'Ruins' instead of a campaign.
@@willattheworldsend I think ruins would best fit me. Also is it worth picking up the core rules and extra dice?
@@samuelwillliams7333i think you atleast need the core rules, the starter set atleast doesn't cover even nearly all of them, as for the dice it's a convenience, and you can just get any old D12s and D6s if you wanna save money ^^
@@samuelwillliams7333 Oh yeah, the core rules is definitely worth it if you are going to play this game a lot. As for extra dice, you probably don't need them unless you want your players to have them.
@@willattheworldsend Thanks good to know 👍
I love all your content on the One Ring! It's encouraged me to run some games as the Loremaster. I would love to try it as a hero, but I haven't found others local to me that like the system enough to run it. Have you had similar issues with finding a LM, or have you played any sessions on roll20 with a LM?
I mostly play solo using Strider Mode though I have done a few sessions with some friends in person. If you are willing to play online I'd suggest looking on Reddit or the One Ring Discord. I have seen people post on both those places looking for groups. Otherwise, if you have a local game store you might be able to pitch showing off the game there and then hopefully someone will get into enough that they could run it for you.
Hope this helps!
Another great video. Appreciate your tOR content!
I am playing through it with my players. We are half done with chapter one.
I love this book, but I love both together even more.
Great stuff as always! I get the impression i wanna get Ruins of the Lost Realm for starting the main campaign after the starter set, where i wanna try out some of your adventures and possibly create some of my own, before diving into the Tales from the Lone Lands, especially as i get the impression it is more fit for higher lvl players anyways? Or is the difficulty level easily enough changed to fit the players at any stage of their campaign?
I don't think the players need to be high level necessarily. But it might be worth it to give them a head's up so they can lean in to the idea and are prepared for the Shadow.
@@willattheworldsend I see 🤔 thanks!
I am running that, and am well at the big event of the second step
I will say, it can be brutal
Seconded on the layout, I am having to rewrite notes to gather relevant info in a coherent and connected set, rather than flipping back and forward
Lastly, I wish there were maps WITHOUT numbers on them. I am glad that at least I have the PDFs from the KS campaign and can screenshot an d edit the maps, but that is a bit of a faff
Otherwise, very atmospheric and very good, despite my complaints above
Just finished reading through the pdf and holy hell these adventures are phenomenal, i love how they show the more grim, dark side of middle earth. My favourite lotr quote is Eomer talking about Merry "When the fear takes him, and the blood, and the horror of battle take hold, do you think he would stand and fight? He would flee, and he would be RIGHT to do so." And tales from the lone lands really does a great job at bringing out the horror of this world. I was even tempted to add some Call of Cthulhu insanity mechanics to it 😅
Where is the PDF available?
@@KurtFritz67 I'm afraid i dont remember, one of those PDF-selling sites. I don't think free league sells pdfs separately unfortunately 🤷♂️ Just make sure to check the legitimacy of a site before you use it, asking an AI about it is probably the easiest way.
DrivethruRPG has all the pdfs and is a legitimate site.
Fantastic review.
How are you able to play the campaign in Strider Mode? Presumably you would have to read the adventures first (as a loremaster), which would spoil everything, so that when you play it as a solo player, you already know all the big reveals and plot elements, which doesn't sound fun. Unless you read them as you play, paragraph by paragraph, so as not to spoil anything? The whole fun of playing a premade adventure as a player is that you don't know what will happen, it's a new experience, like reading a book for the first time with no spoilers. I don't see how it would be fun if you already know everything that will happen because you already read it in loremaster mode first, in order to run it.
I read through the entire book first before playing it. The solo experience is very different when you know all the big plot elements. When playing it I know that someone will try to ambush me here (for example) but my character doesn't. So I have to just try to imagine what my character would do with the information he has. I use the whole thing as a writing exercise to try and write the adventure like a novel. There are certainly pros and cons but I have enjoyed it a lot. I've also made a separate video on Strider Mode that I talk a bit more about this kind of thing.
@@willattheworldsend ah okay, thanks for the response! I know that some people treat solo RPGs as a journalling/writing exercise, but I have tried it and don't find it fun. I play it like a choose your own adventure, using the oracles/AI constantly so that everything ends up being a surprise for which I have no foreknowledge. Unfortunately, this style of play makes it impossible to enjoy prewritten adventures, since it's not fun (for me) when I already know all the plot twists beforehand.
Would you say the expansion books are fairly interchangeable? Like could you use Tales from the lone lands in LotRrpg? Or tales from Eriador in The one ring?
I haven't looked through the expansions for LOTR RP so I can't say for sure. I think they should be able to work fairly well since the expansions are mostly just story elements so most of the content should be the exact same between versions. It probably would help to have a good understanding of D&D 5e rules and TOR 2e rules so that you could convert stat blocks and mechanics well.
@@willattheworldsend yeah I guess I'm trying to figure out if the contents of the books is exactly the same except for the mechanics? Like is the content of the new moria books identical except for mechanics? Or is there a benefit to owning both books? Thanks for replying and keep up the good work.
@@Old_Wizard_Minis Oh yes, the contents in the books will be the exact same. The only thing that will be different is how the mechanics are presented and the cover art.
I've started a play through of the book and love some of the themes, I think it'll be great to create a LOTR-esque adventure.
But I don't like the layout/style of these adventures. There are no effective summaries, and very important details are hidden throughout, leaving a lot of work for GMs to do on their own. It's not really acceptable in 2024, when there are clearly better ways. As a result, all three of the TOR2 supplements (counting Moria) tend to feel more like they're fiction intended to entertain readers rather than providing materials for GMs.