Free League's Tolkien line just got a date for its summer landing. On 2 June, the Swedish publisher drops two new books for The One Ring: Hobbit Tales and Hands of the White Wizard, alongside the previously announced Trials of Saruman for the 5E-compatible Lord of the Rings Roleplaying.
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Set up your group for freeHobbit Tales is the bigger curiosity. It collects five adventures previously locked inside the second edition Starter Set and bolts on a thorough write-up of the Shire across its four farthings, letting Loremasters run a campaign about Hobbits who never leave home. The pregenerated cast includes Bilbo Baggins, Primula and Rory Brandybuck, and Paladin Took, so you can finally play out the slightly older relatives Tolkien only sketches in the appendices. The hardcover plus free PDF is up for pre-order at $39.99.
Hands of the White Wizard is the wildcard. Six interconnected adventures set between 2965 of the Third Age and the opening of the War of the Ring, all centred on Saruman before his fall at Isengard. The same campaign appears in Trials of Saruman, rebuilt for The Lord of the Rings Roleplaying. That's Free League's separate 5E-rules-compatible system, designed for groups already running D&D 5E who want a Middle-earth campaign without learning The One Ring's bespoke mechanics. Same campaign, two rule sets.
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Find events near youThe One Ring has been a quiet success since Free League took over the licence, with the core rules holding 8.4 on BGG. If you have been holding off on running Middle-earth at your table until something Shire-focused turned up, June is your month.
Sources: Free League | Tabletop Sentinel | The Gaming Gang
