A Shadow Moves In The Dark | A Lord of The Rings Campaign
In Eriador, ruin, rumour, and hidden malice draw the Company towards a shadow gathering beyond the sight of the wise.
TYPE
SYSTEM
LEVELS
LANGUAGE
EXPERIENCE
AGE
$20.00
/ Session
Details
5 players following this game
Weekly / Thursday - 6:30 PM UTC
Aug 13 / Session 19
Session Duration / 2–3 hours
4 / 7 Seats Filled
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Schedule
Meet your party members
4/7
About the adventure
A Shadow Moves in the Dark is a Homebrew, long-form Lord of the Rings campaign set in Eriador, where old roads, ruined places, and half-buried histories conceal the slow return of something dangerous. This is not a tale of constant battle or loud heroics, but of growing unease, hidden corruption, difficult choices, and the weight of what lies beneath the surface of the world. The Company will travel through lands haunted by memory, follow enigmatic rumours, and uncover a shadow that is moving before the Wise fully grasp its shape. With an original narrative, this campaign is roleplay-heavy, atmospheric, and deeply rooted in Tolkien’s tone: fellowship, sorrow, endurance, mercy, restraint, and courage in the face of an encroaching darkness. Expect meaningful journeys and interactions, layered mysteries, grounded characters, and a story that takes consequences seriously. Violence has weight, grief is weaponised, and not every danger can be met openly. New players will be joining an ongoing fellowship at a natural story point, with space to enter the narrative cleanly and become a real part of the Company. This game is for players who want immersive long-term storytelling, strong character development, serious worldbuilding, and a faithful Middle-earth. You do not need to be a Tolkien scholar, but you should enjoy rich roleplay, emotional investment, collaboration, and a slower-burning story where tension builds over time. If you want a living campaign that treats the world with care and gives your choices real narrative weight, you will likely feel at home here.
Game style
Roleplay Heavy
Rule of Cool (RoC)
Sandbox / Open World
Theater of the Mind
Hexcrawl / Exploration
Game themes
Meet the Game Master
5.0
(5)
Less than a year on StartPlaying
5 games hosted
Highly rated for: Beginner Friendly, Inclusive, World Builder
Average response time: 3 hours
Response rate: 100%
About me
I’m a narrative-focused Game Master from the UK with a deep passion for immersive, character-driven storytelling. I approach tabletop RPGs as collaborative drama where player choices, psychology, and moral tension shape the direction of the campaign. Much of my work centers on The Lord of the Rings Roleplaying (5E) by Free League Publishing. I build grounded, lore-respectful campaigns rooted in atmosphere, political tension, and meaningful consequence. I care deeply about tone consistency and designing worlds that feel alive and reactive to the decisions of the players and their playing styles. While I’m not a decades-long veteran GM, I prepare intentionally and take the craft seriously. I’m committed to learning and improving alongside my players, refining pacing, rulings, and narrative structure as we grow together. Whether you’re new to tabletop RPGs or experienced and looking for thematic depth, my goal is the same: create a collaborative story that feels cinematic, immersive, and authentic.
View Profile →Character creation
Creating your character
It will start with you proposing a simple backstory to your character, and you working with me to think how we can integrate your character into the narrative of the game in a suitable and grounded context coherent to the material and the world. The more detail you can give the better, insight into your hopes, fears, ambitions, goals, and how you express them will be vital to creating the emotional investment necessary to get the most out of the game. I have all of the Free League published books necessary to make your character a reality, and we will build this character together on DND Beyond, with me homebrewing anything necessary to bring your ideas to life. For those feeling a bit more intimidated by this, I have pre-made characters that I can assign to you if needed.
What to expect
Preparing for the session
An account on DND Beyond and a Discord account are a must. Message me directly when you are ready to organise a session 0 with me and we can take the opportuntiy to discuss the game, brainstorm, and address any questions you may have.
What Joshua brings to the table
I provide a roleplay-heavy, atmospheric Middle-earth experience built for long-term storytelling. Expect rich worldbuilding, immersive scene-setting, grounded NPCs, ambient music, and a campaign that treats character choices, consequence, and Tolkien’s tone with real care. This is a game of fellowship, mystery, travel, and rising Shadow rather than chaotic fantasy spectacle. My GM style is cinematic and story-focused, with a strong emphasis on immersion, emotional authenticity, and meaningful player agency. I use the rules consistently and fairly, but always in service of the story. Combat has weight when it happens, but the heart of the game lies in roleplay, tension, discovery, and the slow unfolding of a larger narrative. I also make a real effort to integrate players properly into the campaign. Whether you are joining at the beginning or entering an ongoing story, I will help you build a character who feels grounded in the world and connected to the fellowship. You can expect a thoughtful, collaborative table and a living campaign that rewards investment.
Homebrew rules
Fatigue will be calculated as alternating 1 point decreases in saving throws and ability throws. The new abilities added by the LOTR 5e (Riddle, Old Lore, Travel, Exploration etc) are converted to their normal 5e equivalents for ease of play.
Equipment needed to play
Internet
Computer
Microphone
Pen & Paper
Webcam
Platforms used
Safety
How Joshua creates a safe table
I have an open door policy where I will act upon anything that the players deem to be of importance. The game should be safe and welcoming for everyone.
Content warnings
Safety tools used