Of Hope and Other Sorrows | Lord of the Rings 5E
Beyond the hearth lies forgotten roads, the halls of fallen kings, and the sea-wind singing of wonders long lost. Will you answer their call?
TYPE
SYSTEM
LANGUAGE
EXPERIENCE
AGE
$20.00
/ Session
Details
7 players following this game
Weekly / Tuesday - 6:30 PM UTC
Session Duration / 2–3 hours
1 / 6 Seats Filled
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Meet your party members
1/6
About the adventure
Of Hope and Other Sorrows is a linked, sandbox campaign using The Lord of the Rings Roleplaying 5E, where a journey begun beside a warm hearth in Bree may carry your Company far across Middle-earth. Rumours from the North Downs draw you onto roads less trodden, through forgotten ruins and into lands still haunted by the memory of Angmar. All the while, Goblins scurry in the deep places of the world, Wild Men heed the call of a white hand, and Elves pass solemnly along the East Road. The dead and the living cling to a past they cannot relinquish, while proud lords lend an ear to promises of power. Slowly, the troubles and grief of distant places enter your own story, and a wider Shadow begins to fall across your doorstep. And still there is time to meditate on unknown calamities, to exchange whispers by torchlight, and to give the matter of second breakfast its due consideration. Along the way, an unlikely companion becomes a dear friend, a stranger’s troubles become your own, and a place scarcely marked upon a map becomes somewhere you hope to see again. As the paths grow darker, these attachments give your choices their weight. Mercy may prove costly, courage may go unnoticed, and a small kindness may be remembered long after the Company has passed. Such things may travel further than you know. Your journey shares a living Middle-earth with my Thursday campaign, A Shadow Moves in the Dark. Through the Robin’s Roost, a quiet haven for trusted friends of the Free Peoples, letters, warnings, rumours and half-finished notes may pass between fellowships walking different roads. A discovery made by one Company may help another survive; a failure in one part of the world may send danger spilling into another. Each fellowship has its own tale, while the Shadow they face moves before the Wise fully understand its shape. Expect rich roleplay, meaningful journeys, layered mysteries and dangerous choices, with room to linger, form friendships and become invested in what happens to the world around you. You need neither a scholar’s knowledge of Tolkien nor previous experience with the system; I’ll help you find your feet. Bring curiosity, consideration for your companions, and a willingness to follow a story whose course your choices will help shape.
Game style
Hexcrawl / Exploration
Roleplay Heavy
Rule of Cool (RoC)
Sandbox / Open World
Theater of the Mind
Game themes
Meet the Game Master
5.0
(6)
Less than a year on StartPlaying
15 games hosted
Highly rated for: Beginner Friendly, Inclusive, World Builder
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.
Equipment needed to play
Internet
Computer
Microphone
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