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The Darkening of Wilderland: An Expanded Campaign (TOR2e)
Among the restoration and new-found prosperity of Wilderland after the slaying of the dragon Smaug, the Shadow rises again; will you face it boldly?
$25.00
/ Session
Details
Bi-weekly / Friday - 1:00 AM UTC
Jul 24 / Session 68
Session Duration / 3–4 hours
6 / 6 Seats Filled
Top Game Master
One of StartPlaying's top-rated GMs, a player favorite and highly recommended.
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Schedule
Meet your party members
6/6
About the adventure
Hark! gather to me for I've brave tales to tell you: Of hammers hard ringing in carved halls of stone. Of good coin that's gathering golden & gleaming In purses of traders & proud elves alike. Of kingdoms arising & kings who acknowledge The wisdom & valor of heroes allied. Yet heed you the warnings, the world bids us listen: A shadow is creeping back under the boughs. Fell creatures are hunting & fear not the hunter, Nor grant nor beg mercy in battle most grim. Thus seek for new heroes who'll succor the needy; Thus call for new heroes who'll come to our side. - - - - - - "The Darkening of Wilderland" will offer you an epic campaign that combines the classic "Darkening of Mirkwood" (originally published for The One Ring 1e) with other published & custom-written materials. Taking their beginnings among the restoration and new-found prosperity of Lake-town and Dale, player-heroes in this campaign will soon discover that sinister forces once again threaten the peace and safety of the Free Peoples in Rhovanion. Will you heed the call and travel across the darkening land to thwart the plots of agents serving mysterious powers and plotting to unleash evil upon the world once more? Players will have an opportunity to create tailor-made heroes, explore a vast range of new locations, and develop unique story arcs that intertwine with the central plots featured in this campaign. "The Darkening of Wilderland" will use The One Ring (2e) core rules while adding a range of purposely designed mechanics and features to enhance the game experience. First-time role-playing game players, players new to the The One Ring game system (or new to its 2nd edition), and experienced players are all equally welcome. - No prior experience is necessary: if you are new to the game or to role-playing games in general, you will learn about role-playing, game mechanics, and the world as you play. - No prior purchase of game materials is necessary: I will supply access to all necessary game materials to create your own custom character (pre-generated characters can be supplied upon request) and play the game throughout the campaign. Game-play will focus on the narrative elements of adventuring, on collaborative storytelling, and on role-play, while offering an open-ended sandbox world of intrigue, mystery, and mortal danger.
Game style
Theater of the Mind
Meet the Game Master
5.0
(21)
5 years on StartPlaying
435 games hosted
Highly rated for: Creativity, Teacher, Storytelling
About me
Dive into Middle-earth in ways unmatched by movies, computer games, or even books! Experience the stories you always wished Tolkien had written! Traverse the lands and go on adventures you imagined lay just around the next corner in Bilbo's road, just out of sight of Frodo and the Fellowship! Take on the role of hero, of protector, of sage advisor in a land perpetually threatened by the Shadow! - - - Hello, I'm Kris! Professional GM and Middle-earther extraordinaire. Welcome to my profile, and thanks for browsing by! If you are looking for an exclusive, immersive journey through the lands of Middle-earth, you have come to the right place. I have been a GM and player of table-top role-playing games for 36+ years, with a particular (though not exclusive) focus on the imaginative worlds of J. R. R. Tolkien. And now I look forward to taking YOU on a journey through magical lands, too. (To get a taste for how I run my games, take a look at the recorded sessions linked from the Twitch and YouTube icons at the bottom of this profile page.) - - - While my main focus lies in offering one-shots and campaigns set in Middle-earth (running game systems like The One Ring, Adventures in Middle-earth, or Middle-Earth Role Playing), I also run games using the Dungeons & Dragons game system (especially 5e, as well as the vintage 1e and 2e rule sets). If there is a specific game you would like to play and I am not currently offering it, simply contact me (select the "Contact this GM" button at the top of this profile page) with details of the kind of session or campaign you would like me to run for you! There are two options for hiring me to run a game for you: - Join me and other players for one of my scheduled one-shots or campaigns (I welcome inquiries for additional games on different days or at different times than those currently scheduled)! - Book my services for a one-shot or campaign according to your own specifications and with people of your own choosing (simply select the "Book This GM" button at the top of this profile page)! A standard session will run 3-4 hours; longer sessions are possible and will be billed as multiples of a standard session (i.e., a 7-hour session will be billed as two standard sessions). NOTE: For custom one-shots and campaigns, I generally ask for 2 weeks' notice to prepare for one-shots and 4 weeks' notice for campaigns to allow for writing and set-up. - For short-notice bookings of custom one-shots, I charge a one-time added fee of $30 (less than 2 weeks to prepare) or a one-time added fee of $50 (less than 1 week to prepare) to allow for writing and set-up. - For short-notice bookings of custom campaigns, I charge a one-time added fee of $50 (less than 4 weeks to prepare) or a one-time added fee of $75 (less than 3 weeks to prepare) or a one-time added fee of $100 (less than 2 weeks to prepare) to allow for writing and set-up. I do not accept requests for a custom campaign with less than 1 week to prepare.
View Profile →Character creation
Creating your character
We will develop characters in a pre-campaign session 0; I will also use the characters' backstories we develop in that session to customize the campaign for each player-hero in the group. If you want to bring your own pre-rolled character, please contact me ahead of time and I will be happy to accommodate where possible and tweak where necessary.
What to expect
Preparing for the session
Players will at minimum need a basic Zoom account and the Zoom app installed as well as a functioning mic and speakers; ideally you will also have also a webcam, and a larger screen could be useful but isn't strictly necessary (as long as you're not on your phone) to make best use of the digital maps I display on occasion for tactical purposes. Players may acquire the dice set published specifically for use with The One Ring (a customized 12-sided die and customized 6-sided dice), use a digital dice-roller designed specifically for the game system (I will provide the link at the start of the first game session), or use their own generic dice (one 12-sided and at least one 6-sided die).
What Kris || Deserted GM brings to the table
I will provide all necessary rule books and other game materials (pre-generated characters are available upon request). I will send a Zoom link, Lines & Veils checklist, and link to a TOR dice roller to players accepted to the game ahead of the first game session.
Homebrew rules
Homebrewed expansions and additions for combat, player-heroes' reputation, holdings; homebrewed Patrons and Fellowship Phase Undertakings; always expanding and revising to match player interests and story needs.
Equipment needed to play
Computer
Microphone
Internet
Platforms used
Safety
How Kris || Deserted GM creates a safe table
I use safety tools in all my games: I offer players an opportunity to register potential triggers and establish Lines and Veils before the game starts; I always offer players the option to call Script Changes during play. Players can expect a game focused on collaborative storytelling and role-playing, puzzle-solving, and some combat. No graphic violence, abuse, or gore ever.
Content warnings
Safety tools used