TM TM Sample file Battle the rising Shadow in this 30 year campaign for the world’s greatest fantasy setting. - CREDITS - Concept by Francesco Nepitello Written by Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan Additional Writing by Francesco Nepitello and Jacob Rodgers Edited by Andrew Kenrick Converted by Jacob Rodgers Cover by Ralph Horsley Art by Jon Hodgson, Jason Juta, Jordy Lakiere and Sam Manley Graphic Design and layout by Paul Bourne Creative Direction by Jon Hodgson and Dominic McDowall Proofread by Jacob Rodgers and David Rea Adventures in Middle-earth designed by: James Brown, Paul Butler, Walt Ciechanowski, Steve Emmott, Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan, Jon Hodgson, Shane Ivey, Andrew Kenrick, TS Luikart, Dominic McDowall, Francesco Nepitello, James Spahn, Ken Spencer Based on The One Ring Roleplaying Game by Francesco Nepitello and Marco Maggi © Sophisticated Games Ltd 2017 © Cubicle 7 Entertainment Ltd 2017 To find out more about Adventures in Middle-earth, and to subscribe to our newsletter, please go to: www.cubicle7.co.uk Product Identity: The following items are hereby identified as Product Identity, as defined in the Open Game License version 1.0a, Section 1(e), and are not Open Content: All trademarks, registered trade-marks, proper names (characters, place names, etc.), new rules, classes, items, virtues, backgrounds, places, characters, artwork, sidebars, and trade dress. Open Game Content: The Open content in this book includes material taken from the Systems Reference Document. No other portion of this work may be reproduced in any form without permission. Published by Sophisticated Games Ltd, 3 Andersen Court, Newnham Road, Cambridge CB3 9EZ, UK and Cubicle 7 Entertainment Ltd, Suite D3, Unit 4, Gemini House, Hargreaves Road, Groundwell Industrial Estate, Swindon, SN25 5AZ, UK Sample file The One Ring, Middle-earth, The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and the characters, items, events and places therein are trademarks or registered trademarks of The Saul Zaentz Company d/b/a Middle-earth Enterprises and are used under license by Sophisticated Games Ltd and their respective licensees. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers. 2 - CONTENTS - THE MIRKWOOD CAMPAIGN 4 The Anger of the Elvenking 74 The Campaign Outline 4 Year 2964 76 The Campaign Goal 6 The Greydelve 77 Experience Awards 8 Year 2965 78 Rules for Holdings 9 The Theft of the Lamp 78 Year 2966 83 THE LAST GOOD YEARS: Return to Dol Guldur 83 2947-2950 11 Year 2947 11 THE YEAR OF THE PLAGUE: The Wizard’s Man 11 2967-2974 87 Year 2948 13 Year 2967 87 The Folk-moot at Rhosgobel 14 Treachery in the Woods 87 Year 2949 17 Year 2968 91 The Questing Beasts 17 Nine in the Hall 91 Year 2950 20 Year 2969 96 Secrets Buried 20 Wheels within Wheels 97 Year 2970 100 THE RETURN OF THE SHADOW: New Background: Changeling 101 2951-2960 25 Slaying the Forest Dragon 103 Year 2951 25 Year 2971 104 The Helm of Peace 25 The Dying of the Light 104 Year 2952 28 Year 2972 107 The Staff of the Roadwarden 28 The Hame of the Vampire 107 Year 2953 31 Year 2973 111 The Beast of the Forest 32 The Reach of the Shadow 111 Year 2954 35 Year 2974 115 The Lost Path 36 Beorn’s Quest 115 Year 2955 39 Treacherous Waters 39 THE DARKENING OF MIRKWOOD: Year 2956 42 2975-2977 119 Murder in Lake-town 42 Year 2975 119 Year 2957 48 The Last Folk-Moot 119 The Siege of Black Tarn Hall 48 Year 2976 121 Year 2958 53 The March of the Woodmen 121 Saving the Maiden 53 To Rivendell 124 Year 2959 61 Year 2977 126 The Horse-lord’s Daughter 62 Epilogue: The Passing of the King 126 Year 2960 64 The Death of Ingomer 64 THE NAZGÛL OF DOL GULDUR 127 Dark Undead or Unclad and Invisible 127 THE GATHERING GLOOM: The Lieutenant of Dol Guldur 128 2961-2966 67 The Ghost of the Forest 130 Year 2961 67 The Messenger of Mordor 130 Paying the Troll 67 Year 2962 72 SHADOWS IN THE FOREST 133 Sample Honour Among Thieves 72 file Year 2963 74 Index 140 3 MIRKWOOD CAMPAIGN Loremasters should note that the Rhovanion Region Guide - - is necessary to provide many of the non-player characters THE MIRKWOOD and adversaries faced in the Campaign. CAMPAIGN THE CAMPAIGN OUtlINE Under the boughs of Mirkwood there was deadly The campaign is divided into five major sections, each strife of Elves and Men and fell beasts. spanning several years as the battle between the Free Peoples and the Shadow takes new forms. The first section In the year 2951, Sauron sent the Ringwraiths to reclaim is The Last Good Years — a brief respite before The Return his dark hold of Dol Guldur in yet another chapter in of the Shadow. The Gathering Gloom brings The Years of the struggle between darkness and light for control of the Plague and then the assault of the Enemy begins in Mirkwood. earnest in The Darkening of Mirkwood. Two additional rules sections are provided — the Loremaster will learn the In the following decades, Sauron succeeded in making deadly secrets of The Nazgûl of Dol Guldur and the player- Dol Guldur the starting point for large-scale attacks heros may be visited by Shadows in the Forest. against Lórien and the Woodland Realm. Even though the Free Peoples were ultimately victorious, many lost All told, the Campaign spans between 2947 (the first hints their lives and Wilderland at large suffered greatly. of the returning shadow) to 2977 (the death of King Bard). For each year, the following format is used: The Mirkwood Campaign places the heroes in the middle of that coming war, alongside those who fight the shadow EVENTS that threatens to engulf the forest and subjugate all those Here are listed a number of noteworthy things that happen who live near and inside it. in Mirkwood and the lands immediately surrounding it. Can the heroes change what has been written? Will Sometimes, events that occur far from the forest, either on they succeed in weakening the power in Dol Guldur and the edge of the Wild or in civilised lands to the South, are protecting the folks that live in the forest? Or will they fail also featured. The companions may or may not hear tell of and worsen their fate? such things, depending on circumstances. Sample file 4 MIRKWOOD CAMPAIGN THE MIRKWOOD CAMPAIGN You, as Loremaster, can use the information contained is required, especially as the actual play campaign in this section in any way you see fit, as plot hooks to be progresses and the actions of the Player-heroes affect and developed in additional adventures, to add depth and alter the history of Wilderland. perspective to the deeds of the Player-heroes during an Adventuring phase or to keep the Company up to date Loremasters are strongly encouraged to modify the plot with the passing news of major events affecting the land elements or change the location of a sample adventure, or during a Fellowship phase. even to substitute key characters to adapt the adventures to their playing groups. The aim of this section is to ADVENTURING PHASE provide a strong foundation to build upon, not to impose This section typically contains one sample adventure for a rigid plot on your game (see also Using the Campaign the company to embark upon. A measure of customisation and Personal Stakes below). News from Afar Outside of the Shire, there is no postal service in Middle-earth, and certainly no newspapers. And while it seems that Elves can spread or gather information "as quick as water flows, or quicker", they rarely share what they know with other folks. More often than not, tidings go far and wide only through the gossip of wandering merchants and in the close-mouthed grumblings of travelling Dwarves, and may even become difficult to separate from wild tales and distorted rumours. Without the intervention of envoys or messengers, it might take one full year, sometimes more, for characters in Wilderland to learn of events happening elsewhere in the region, and from 2 to 5 years for news from outside Wilderland to reach them, and at least 3 to 8 years for news out of the South, East or West. Characters proficient with Lore may be able to get news faster, or have access to better sources. Furthermore, many powerful individuals either have their own networks of informants and messengers, or else have some way of getting information quickly. Radagast, for example, has his flocks of birds; Beorn has his animals and can travel swiftly by night – but even a Wizard must go in search of rumours and news. In Middle-earth, miles are miles, and someone has to cross them to bring word from afar. Sample file 5 MIRKWOOD CAMPAIGN YEAR’S END (pages 48 and 49). They should not feel limited by the You may have one or more Fellowship phases each year, Campaign offered in this guide either, and for very similar depending on how you structure your Campaign. In this reasons: Middle-earth historians can be wrong, rumours section, you will find entries for undertakings, along with are often mistaken for truth and what is written may not hints at adventures that can follow up on the events of the be what actually came to pass. provided Adventuring phase. Some of the later years may not offer a specific entry, as it becomes more and more When considering the events described in this guide for difficult to foresee what the companions might do in their inclusion in their own game, Loremasters are encouraged spare time.