Free League Publishing is back in Middle Earth with The One Ring: Moria—Through the Doors of Durin. I have been waiting a while to see how they tackled this part of Tolkien’s lore, so let’s dig deep and find out.
Speak friend and enter
As with The One Ring and its 5th Edition counterpart, Moria – Through the Doors of Durin is set after the time of The Hobbit but before Balin’s doomed expedition back to Khazad-dûm (Moria). This book is so much more than just an expansion or campaign book. It gives so much more to the reader and Games Master alike.
There is a crazy amount of background information and history on and around the mines. As with all books, this book gives you everything you need to get your Fellowship off into the dark seeking adventure and treasure. As you would hope, Moria – Through the Doors of Durin has a whole load of new locations, enemies, and adventures to get the creative juices flowing. In true Tolkien manner, this is an epic dungeon crawl in what is possibly the most famous dungeon of them all.
I have no memory of this place
The location is not the only new thing but we get some new rules and elements to play with. Like with the Eriador and Rivendell expansions, we get a new culture to pick. This time it is a new Dwarven line from Belegost and Nogrod. Not only this but Mithril plays a big part and with that has its own rules too. From what it weighs, how much it’s worth, and what abilities it can add to weapons and armour. I love this aspect of the game and creating new treasures for you players to find along the way and who are we kidding they need all the help they can get sometimes.
Being in the dark depths of Moria you will come across some new faces good and evil. Some new patrons will steer you in certain directions to maybe find a lost location, a treasure they have lost, or even liberate an outpost. The enemies are plenty as well. We have new Orc factions, crazy dwarfs, new foul things, and of course the big bad, Durin’s bane, The Balrog. There is just so much for a GM to absorb and create in this expansion. It is intimidating at first but if you just pick and choose or in my case in the future, if you have an ongoing story with your group you will find what fits.
Fool of a Took
I would recommend getting the physical copy of Moria – Through the Doors of Durin as the PDF won’t do it justice. The artwork as usual is just beautiful and captures the spirit of Tolkien’s vision. With the physical copy, you get the amazing double-sided map, and if the other maps I have from the base game and expansion are anything to go by it is a must. Even if you don’t play the TTRPG just owning this for the lore or the read will be well worth it. I honestly can’t wait to get the Lord of the Rings 5E version and expand the game I have ongoing on the Team Zoom Zoom, YouTube channel. There is so much more to go before we catch up to the Fellowship of the Ring so I can’t wait to see where Free League goes next.
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