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We are delighted here at 5D to announce that we will be working a little with the good people at Free League Publishing.
Free League Publishing is a Swedish game creator and publisher dedicated to speculative fiction. They have published a wide range of award-winning tabletop roleplaying games and acclaimed art books set in strange and wondrous worlds.
Their game portfolio include the upcoming games: BLADE RUNNER RPG, CY_BORG RPG, Into the Odd RPG, Tales From the Loop – The Board Game and The One Ring™ RPG.
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A little while ago we ran a press release about the companies’s Organized Play Program for Gamemasters. This concept involves helping Free Agent GMs run games at conventions, as part of official Free League events or by creating events themselves. It can be physical conventions, online conventions, or games in other venues such as local game stores.
Free Agents will also be invited to a closed forum to discuss the finer points of gamemastering Free League games. They will also receive newsletters directed specifically for organized play, about upcoming conventions and new conventions scenarios.
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So when the good people at Free League Publishing kindly confirmed that they would send our eager way the yet-to-be released 2nd edition of the hit The One Ring™ roleplaying game, well, to say our reaction was ‘ecstatic’ would be something of an understatement. That doesn’t mean however that this review of the game will be a run of the mill flowery review in how its release may well not only be the future of all RPG formats, but may also exterminate COVID and solve the current military escalation in the Ukraine. No, it will be an honest and balanced review – after all, my already overworked 5D Pop Culture legal team have enough on their hands after my nuanced assertion that NFT’s, crypto currency and digital blockchains (they may be all the same thing, I have no idea!) are nothing more than an ‘Emperors new cloths’ con for the gullible……..
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So before I go any further let’s provide you dear reader with some background information about the game itself.
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About The One Ring™ roleplaying game
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The new edition of The One Ring™ roleplaying game, set in the world of The Lord of the Rings™by J.R.R. Tolkien and designed by Francesco Nepitello, became the most successful tabletop RPG core game ever on Kickstarter when it ended March 4th 2021, raising over $2 million.
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“It is the year 2965 of the Third Age and the Shadow is returning. Twenty-four years ago, an alliance of Elves, Men, and Dwarves defeated a horde of Orcs and Wild Wolves, under a sky darkened by Giant Bats, inaugurating a new era of prosperity for the Free Peoples. But twenty years is a long time for peace to last, and in many dark corners of the earth a shadow is lengthening once again. Rumours of strange things happening outside the borders of civilised lands are spreading with increasing regularity and, while they are dismissed by most as fireside-tales and children’s stories, they sometimes reach the ears of individuals who recognise the sinister truth they hide.
These are restless warriors, curious scholars and wanderers, always eager to seek what was lost or explore what was forgotten. Ordinary people call them adventurers and, when they prevail,
they hail them as heroes. But if they fail, no one will even remember their names.”
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This is The One Ring, a roleplaying game based on The Hobbit™ and The Lord of the Rings™, two extraordinary works of fiction by the beloved author and respected academic, John Ronald Reuel Tolkien. With these books, Tolkien introduced readers to his greatest creation, the world of Middle-earth, a mythic land from a remote past. With The One Ring, Middle-earth is yours to explore — you will travel the land searching for clues about the return of the Shadow, and have the chance to play a part in the struggle against the Enemy…
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Now in its second edition, The One Ring™ comes with updated and revised rules, a new visual style, and a focus on the land of Eriador — the lone-lands west of the Misty Mountains. Among its key features are:
Rules for travelling across the land (Journey), facing frightening foes (Combat), and meeting the personalities of Middle-earth (Council).
Thorough advice for the Loremaster on how to bring Middle-earth to life, including rules for magical treasure, the Shadow, and the Eye of Mordor.
In-depth information on six Patrons — individuals sponsoring the adventures of the Player-heroes — including Bilbo Baggins and Gandalf the Grey.
A bestiary containing a spread of adversaries, from lowly Orc Soldiers and Highway-robbers, to monstrous Cave-Trolls and Barrow-Wights.
Rules to create your very own Nameless Things — unknowable beings from the dark corners of the world.
A complete Landmark adventure, The Star of the Mist, with extra support for new Loremasters, in the form of tutorial advice throughout.
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The Review part……..
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There are times in one’s life when the reality doesn’t match the expectation (that seems to have happened a lot over the last couple of pandemic years)…… but not this time! Because, well let’s get this out of the way right now………The One Ring 2e is a fabulous way to explore and experience the magic of Tolkien’s Middle-earth, and, oh yes, the experience of the tabletop Lord of the Rings roleplaying is rather fine too.
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For those wanting to dip their toes into the world of RPG for the very first time, and specifically the world of Middle Earth, then the starter set of The One Ring RPG is perhaps the perfect way to do that.
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It has to be said that The One Ring RPG Starter Set is a beautifully crafted collection which includes absolutely everything that ordinary people (the players) and Loremasters (the important people in charge, like me) need in order to get things started. For example you have six custom d6 dice as well as two custom d12 dice. Also included are 30 Wargear Cards depicting different weapons and armor and statistics information.
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I know that many RPG aficionado’s enjoy creating and crafting their own characters – believe me I’m no exception. In fact I have been known to simply do no more some weeks than just sit with a pile of blank D&D character sheets and while away the hours designing character after a character (often a variation on a Drow. I like Drows. It’s an obsession) complete with an elaborately detailed back story. In the case of the starter kit here, eight pre-generated character sheets are included as a nice way of an immediate and uncomplicated taste of this new experience, something particularly helpful for newbies to the genre. Of course, more extensive variations of The One Ring will offer the chance of obsessive individuals like myself to immerse oneself in creating endlessly ever more personalised Middle Earth characters to our hearts content.
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The other inclusions in the starter set include a lovely large two-sided map – one the one side is a beautifully rendered depiction of The Shire and on the other an overview of Eriador. Finally there are three softback books, the rules (very handy), peoples of The Shire and their unique customs, and also a book containing 5 separate bespoke adventures.
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Even the greenest of RPG newbies or more experienced enthusiasts will find the starter set both accessible and yet challenging enough to use the time to immerse themselves in this world. The basic rules of the adventures are designed with productive group dynamics in mind – in other words, actively promoting the need to work together and problem solve obstacles – both physical and psychological in nature. If this sounds like the kinship and friendship themes that run through Tolkien’s narratives then this is more than coincidence from the game designers and writers – very cunning.
Yes, there is a fighting element to parts of the adventures and there is of course the potential for the the more bloodthirsty and violent-minded amongst us to dive into more complex character tools as well as hoping your Loremaster is up for instigating the odd punch up or pitched battle. Both layout and artwork throughout the books is a genuine delight.
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As yet I’ve only so far dipped my eager Hobbit toe into the first adventure – and so far it’s been the perfect opportunity to understand how the mechanics of this game work as well as familiarising oneself with the world one finds oneself in.
Hopefully this game will please both the avid fans of Tolkien and the more casual fan. If you want my final thought – this game is an absolute joy.
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The new edition of The One Ring™roleplaying game, published in partnership with with Sophisticated Games, will be officially released March 22.
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