Pipes, Pints, and Polyhedrons

Well, turned out to be a fantastic Monday, I had a much anticipated package arrive on the doorstep after lunch. Pictures just don't do it justice, Free League did an amazing job on this, one of the best looking RPGs I've seen. I'll probably even pick up a standard copy of the core rulebook, just so I don't have to bang up my collector cover carrying it around. The matte paper pages with subtle ink tones are great, it has the look and feel of an old tome, like something you'd expect to find on the shelf of an adventuring hobbit.

The starter box set is sturdy and has an actual map of the shire printed in the bottom of the box and the top of the box has a panel which acts as a minor GM screen. All of the paperback supplemental books have the same interior style as the core book. Even if I weren't interested in running the game, this is just a really nice edition for fan's of Tolkien's work to have in RPG format, sitting on the shelf. Just flipping through the material evokes the feeling of wanting to journey into Middle-Earth.

The Starter Set contains a small booklet with rules for playing, a supplement detailing The Shire and surrounding environs, a book with several small adventures that take place within The Shire borders, a set of dice, a large, folded, paper map (detailing the entirety of The Shire on one side and Eriador on the other), and cards, one set for stance during combat and roles in the adventuring group when journeying, the other set for equipment, armor and weapons. The set also comes with several pre-generated Hobbit characters for playing.

The core book shown is the collector's edition, this one was a KS exclusive print. Also shown is the GM screen which came with a supplement for Rivendell (it's in the pictures above with the Starter Set). Like The Shire supplement, this one details Rivendell, it's lore, inhabitants, and environs.

Any word on a Moria supplement?

Ancalagon wrote: ↑February 9th, 2022, 12:25 am Any word on a Moria supplement?

Haha, no. They are just now wrapping up the kickstarter and still getting pledge rewards out to folks. I don't expect to hear anything on future supplements until maybe sometime later this year.

It's been a while, but I finally received my Moria supplement from the Kickstarter. I went in for both a collector cover and the regular cover because both of them look awesome. I don't think I've posted or mentioned it but I've also received the previous supplements that came out prior, Ruins of the Lost Realms and Tales from the Lone-lands. The first is a guide to the places and people in Southern Eriador, essentially, it is an area that allows GMs to create and design their own adventures without the worry of interfering in the well known locales, already detailed in Middle-earth. The second book is a series of six adventures that take place in the north-western Lone-lands.


The books are of high quality, as one would expect from Free League. Everything from artwork, to layout, maps, to general information has been well done. It's a nice sized tome but doesn't feel massive or overweight as some published books, these days.

As for the content, Free League managed to pack in just enough information to allow a GM opportunity to setup and run adventures, without making it overwhelming.

The primary sections of the book include:

• Introduction: describes the history and shape of the place now called Moria.
• At The Gates, The Trumpets Rang: discusses several groups interested in Moria in the present era. These groups might be Patrons or rivals to the Player-heroes.
• Journeys in the Dark: contains a set of Journey rules adjusted for underground exploration, as well as Moria-specific Eye Awareness rules.
• Fell Foes: lists the Orcs and other enemies that may be found in the city and rules for risking an encounter with Durin’s Bane.
• Mansions of the Dwarves: the largest part of the book, describing Landmarks and hazards in the various regions of Moria.
• Appendix: describes the largest expedition to brave Moria, Balin’s expedition from 2989 to 2994, and magical treasures that might be found in Moria. It also presents a new playable culture of Dwarves, the Dwarves of Nogrod and Belegost.

Mansions of the Dwarves has some nice smaller sections, such as the stony valley of Dimrill Dale, various known Gates into Moria, the many halls within, Dwarrowdelf the capital city within Moria, chambers and vaults, the mountains above/outside, the various Roads that run through, Goblin and Orc strongholds, the Dwarven mines, and of course delving down, deeper below.

All in all, it's definitely a labor of love worthy of the good Professor's work. I hope Free League has more supplements planned.

Looks good so far. I'll thumb through a copy once the local game stores get some.

But holy f@ckb@lls, Batman! Two and a half years to fulfill the KS is waaaaaaay too long!

Ancalagon wrote: ↑July 30th, 2024, 10:38 pm Looks good so far. I'll thumb through a copy once the local game stores get some.

But holy f@ckb@lls, Batman! Two and a half years to fulfill the KS is waaaaaaay too long!

It wasn't that long, the kickstarter for Moria opened in August and closed September of 2023, receiving the physical book now, it only took 9 months for the printed books. I'm pretty sure we were just discussing the announcement that there would be a Moria supplement back in '22.