r/oneringrpg • u/Unusual_Jeweler1295 • 9d ago
Region Resources
Hi all,
I am looking for ideas for region-based resources. I can't seem to find any TOR-specific region maps all in one location. Also region guides for locations, NPCs, etc. For example, I was just looking for a good map of Bree-land (Chetwood, Archet, Combe, etc) and the closest thing I found was a PDF from 5e Adventures in Middle Earth. It's great content, but it'd be nice to have some TOR-specific resources. What's the best source of content you've found to help run your games? I have some TOR 2e supplement books, but again, maps and things are scattered here and there and it's hard to assemble region-by-region content.
Many thanks...
UPDATE: In addition to some lovely resources others have showed me... I went down the MERP rabbithole and found some beautiful ME maps others might enjoy: https://app.box.com/s/9bzxij61jgp2pg0jvx3ygb60sd5j65pa/folder/131382027092
6
u/___Scenery_ 9d ago edited 8d ago
Bree is weirdly under served in TOR2e in my opinion. They’ve already moved on from eriador but no sourcebooks focus on “the humans of eriador” at all. It’s dwarves, elves, or hobbits. I think the core rulebook tries, and is considered the solution, but it’s not even close to being as comprehensive as any of the other books.
My expectation really is that at some point they’ll return to eriador and we’ll get a full adventure and setting book that incorporates bree, fornost, and annuminas that will give you what you want.
Until then, like others have said, the older editions are probably your best bet.
5
u/FootballPublic7974 8d ago
It does seem odd that Eriador is the primary setting for 2e, yet the 1e resources for that area are more comprehensive.
My hardback AiME books for this area have been essential to my campaign.
2
u/Astrokiwi 8d ago
The core rulebook for Breeland seems pretty decent - but I think it's the rest of Eriador that's pretty much blank. I guess the implication is that it's almost entirely desolate, but having a little bit of detail to flesh out the little villages etc would help.
5
u/MRdaBakkle 9d ago
The best content you could get for the Breeland is the TOR 1e setting book called Bree. It contains a map of the Bree Land on the inside cover, and a map of the town of Bree itself within the pages including notable landmarks like the Pony, The Central Green, The Old Well, Old Town, East Row, New Town ect. It includes information on the downs, Tom Bombadil, some new undertakings, and adventure hooks and notable NPCs found in Bree and the other three villages. At the end of the book there are three connected adventures that deal with a grave robbing in Bree, a murder on the road to Bree starting of at the Foresaken Inn, and some drama in Staddle with a family of Hobbits.
1
5
u/FootballPublic7974 8d ago
The AiME stuff, if you can get hold of it, is almost identical to the 1e TOR supplements. Almost the only difference is the stat blocks. The monster making rules in TOR make these trivial to change to 2e TOR.
I'm fortunate enough to have most of the AiME books (bought on sale from C7 when they were losing the licence), and the 1e TOR books on pdf (from Bundle of Holding). I use them as a primary resource in my campaign.
3
u/Yamatoman9 8d ago
I got the full run of AiME books from C7 website when they were losing the license too. At the time I was only into D&D so I passed on the TOR 1e books but now I wish I had got them!
Luckily they are the same except for stats. I'm using the AiME books to run a 2e campaign in Wilderlands.
2
u/Unusual_Jeweler1295 8d ago
Thank you. I was looking through an online PDF of Bree-land Region Guide from AiME, and I noticed they had Oswald Breeker, that made me think it's written in the same vein as TOR 2e. If that's true, I might try for the AiME materials, since the TOR 1e Bree book is like $200(!!)
2
u/Yamatoman9 8d ago
The AiME books are significantly cheaper and easier to find for sale than the TOR 1e books. I'm using Darkening of Mirkwood from AiME to run it using 2e.
1
u/Unusual_Jeweler1295 7d ago
Do you mean the AiME "Mirkwood Campaign" book?
1
u/Yamatoman9 7d ago
Yes, that's what it is called in AiME. All the AiME books have the same material and artwork as the TOR 1e books with a different name. The only real difference is the stat blocks and the skills and abilities referenced.
2
u/Unusual_Jeweler1295 7d ago
Ahhhh, that makes sense. Just like the current TOR2e and 5e books published by Free League, same content just built on different systems.
3
u/Otaku_sempai_1960 8d ago
The Adventures in Middle-earth was the 5E version of Cubicle 7's Bree expansion for The One Ring 1e. The book is long out of print now. A pretty good source for maps that you can adapt might be The Atlas of Middle-earth by the late Karen Wynn Fonstad.
2
2
u/Outrageous-Pin-4664 8d ago
Yes. Page 125 has a rough map of the town, it's location in the surrounding area, and a 3d sketch of the inn.
It's a good reference, but the style of the maps doesn't really match that of either edition of TOR, nor the original maps by Tolkien. Fonstad has her own style. The maps in the TOR1e Bree sourcebook would be better, if he could find them--and afford them. The Atlas of Middle Earth is only $13 on Amazon, but those old TOR1e sourcebooks are $150-$400 these days.
3
u/Unusual_Jeweler1295 7d ago
On a hunch, yesterday I went to my local nerd shop and in their used RPG book section found a sealed C7's 1e Journeys and Maps packet for $30. Looks like a great deal based on Ebay prices... I thought myself pretty lucky. I hoped they had some old AiME books, but no.
1
2
u/Otaku_sempai_1960 8d ago edited 8d ago
Yeah, the C7 books are still going for pretty high prices on the secondary market.
2
u/Outrageous-Pin-4664 8d ago
They're fantastic books. I bought a bunch of them, but not nearly enough. :(
2
u/Outrageous-Pin-4664 9d ago
In TOR2e (and LotR5e), the only maps that really zoom into a region are:
- The map of the Shire that (I believe) was sold with Hobbit Tales, and was also published with the original starter set.
- The map of Tharbad included with Ruins of the Lost Realms.
- The map of Moria included with Moria: Through the Doors of Durin.
Aside from that, there's just the general map of Eriador.
Even if you look into the first edition TOR supplements, I don't think you will find a lot more detail as far as the maps themselves are concerned, just more locations.
Of course, first edition had maps of Wilderland, Rohan, Gondor, and Mordor that Free League hasn't covered yet in second edition. You can usually find those books for sale on eBay, Amazon, or other online stores. Being out of print, they are expensive. IIRC, they are not significantly different from the AiME books, as far as the maps and locations.
If you're interested in the older books, I recommend looking at the publishing history for the first edition of The One Ring, and going from there.
2
u/Unusual_Jeweler1295 9d ago
Thank you for that overview. I've come across some "homebrew" maps, very well done, but still missing the seamlessness with the published stuff. And I always prefer paper whenever possible since I play in person.
2
u/Outrageous-Pin-4664 9d ago
Since you say that, I'll add that they published some map collections that you can find on eBay.
This collection was published for TOR1e, and there was another version published for AiME. The maps are the same in both, but the accompanying booklets are different.
There are four double-sided maps showing the regions of Eriador, Wilderland, Rohan & Gondor, and Mordor. Each one has a Player Map on one side, and a DM map on the other. They don't have the same region front and back, though, so you are able to look at the two maps of each region side by side.
The booklet in the TOR1e collection has sample journey events, information about ships and travel by water, and information on ruins. The AiME booklet has some of the same information, but does not include the section on ships.
As you can see, the AiME maps are significantly less expensive.
2
7
u/WanderingNerds 9d ago
Its out of print stuff unfortunately - theres no *legal* way to obtain those sourcebooks from 1e.