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| Ruins of the Lost Realm (...of Arnor) |
TL;DR: "Ruins of the Lost Realm" is the first supplement for The One Ring 2nd edition. It's a good basis for a campaign. It doesn't have the depth or epic feel that "The Darkening of Mirkwood" had in TOR1e but has still got the scope to make the players feel like they're making a difference. It's gorgeously well presented and well structured to use, and should be fun to play.
Ruins of the Lost Realm is the first sourcebook released for Fria Ligan's refresh of "The One Ring' (TOR hereafter) which was massively successful at Kickstarter. it came out of the stretch goals and describes the region of Eriador, focusing upon the lost kingdom of Arnor and its successors. It's been a while since I read the first edition TOR book that covers this area, so I won't be making a comparison.
Physically, it's an attractive 120-page full colour hardback book with a red ribbon bookmark. The end leaves have a map of the city of Tharbad at the front and a region map of Eriador for travel at the back. The book has a bowed spine (like a more traditional hardback novel) as seen on Vaesen and Forbidden Lands rather than a flat spine (as seen on first edition TOR). The cover has an attractive linen finish rather than a glossy, smooth surface. I love the artwork, which is very evocative. There are colour plates in the style of the cover for chapter headings and lovely line-art scenes of characters and locations.
The book also includes a fold out map of Tharbad, which it envisages as becoming a base for a fellowship to operate from or return to for supplies and rest. Tharbad is the largest city in the region, but a shadow of its former self following the floods in 2965, after the Fell Winter. It's worth noting that the map is loose, unlike those seen in Wizards of the Coast D&D books like Curse of Strahd. Originally a Numenorean port located up-river to support logging operations and later trade between the two kingdoms, it managed to survive the war with the Witch King of Angmar, but now continues in a steady decline. The city is now led by a former bandit chief who married into local nobility to become respectable. Located south of the Shire, the Grey Havens and Rivendell, it is a lonely city with few settlements around it. This is a melancoly setting in decline. Perhaps the fellowship can hold back the darkness for a while, but this is a region with everything stacked against it.
The first chapter focuses on Tharbad and the regions around. The city is described in detail, starting with its history going back to the First Age, covering its glory days as the town that was shared between the two kingdoms, and then how it has fared since the fall of Cardolan, the last of the successor kingdoms of Arnor to fall. It won't surprise you that it's a shadow of its former self. The text describes the various districts in Tharbad, calling out key and interesting locations and people. NPCs have text describing their background and situation, with a quick summary of their occupation and distinctive features. They don't have stat blocks, so the GM will need to draw upon the TOR Core Book or improvise. Tharbad is at a crux point;it barely qualifies as a safe haven in the lone lands, and the actions of the characters will determine its fate.
The chapter continues on to describe surrounding areas such as Swanfleet (a marshland with rumoured giant swans) where some of Tharbad's populace fled following the Great Flood. Lond Daer is another point of light. Queen Nimue was acclaimed to rule the settlement after she killed a sea serpent that menaced the surrounds, perhaps after seeking advice from Gandalf the Grey. Lord Daer has a history going back well into the Second Age. It was a significant Numenorean port until the tidal waves of the Island's downfall caused huge damage, permanently flooding part of the town. Five tall towers still stand in the flooded ruins, reaching up to the stars.
Going west to Blue Mountains, there's the Dwarf-Hall of Harmelt, long time source of riches. Since the restoration of Erebor, the Hall has become increasingly isolated, as the iron mines to the north have become abandoned as the dwarfs refocus around the Lonely Mountain. The proud dwarfs dig deep, searching riches and security.
Much of what remains of Cardolan is ruined and abandoned, with old buildings, towers and strongholds being adopted by those that remain as parts of farms or small villages. The forest of Eryn Vorn lurks menacingly, a peer of Fangorn and the Old Forest near Bree-land and the Shire, a survivor of the forests of the First Age that has not suffered the axe and fire of men and dwarf. Needless to say, it's a dangerous location to visit. The chapter ends describing the Lone-lands of Minhiriath, which initially appear utterly deserted following war and plague. However, look close enough and there are small, hidden hamlets that the Rangers protect and also fisherfolk near the shores.
The second chapter - "A Gathering Storm" - outlines the threats to the region. These come from Black Numenoreans, the White Hand of Saruman, and Raiders from Dunland. Each is treated similarly. An overview is given of the threat, and then key foes are described including full stat blocks. This includes their motivations and rivalries. A timeline is given, explaining how things may play out if the characters don't intervene. Some of the timelines contradict - there is space for events to be caused by differing actors dependent upon emergent play in the campaign.
It's worth noting that Saruman is not - as yet - an agent of the Enemy. However, his actions in Eriador, seeking ring-lore and investigating what happened to the One Ring could bring his agents into conflict with the fellowship. Alternatively, they could end up being offered employment by the White Wizard. That may well lead to an interesting meta situation with players who know Saruman will become a bad 'un, but whose characters will have seen no evidence of this at all.
The chapter ends with a short description of other shadows which could threaten the region. The concluding one is the long defeat; this part of the world is doomed to decline until the Shadow is lifted and the King Returns.
The final chapter describes twelve landmarks scattered across Eriador that the characters can visit. They're written up in a style that reminds me of the adventure sites in Fria Ligan's "Forbidden Lands". There's just enough description and background to run an adventure there. Each one has a map, with key locations and foes described. The danger level of the sites is not consistent; there is no structured route between them to protect characters unlike an adventure path or some of the D&D campaigns. That's not a bad thing (indeed, it touches some of my OSR tendencies), just something to note. However, if you want to find out what happened to the treasures of King Arvedui of Arthedain, you can expect trouble! You can visit the White Towers, take a risky forest journey into Eryn Vorn, sail on Lake Evendim and take a journey to see the view from Weathertop. Mount Gram (now an Orc stronghold) and the lands of the Angle are also described. Rivendell isn't, as it's covered in the material with the Loremaster's screen. All these locations provide interesting hooks to interweave into the overarching plot from the shadows facing the lands.
The book concludes with a page of optional rules and guidance for the lore master, and then a useful index.
"Ruins of the Lost Realm" is a good basis for a campaign. It doesn't have the depth or epic feel that "The Darkening of Mirkwood" had in TOR first edition, but its still got the scope to make the players feel like they're making a difference. It's gorgeously well presented and well structured to use, and should be fun to play.
19 September 2022
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