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Year Zero Worldbuilding (YZW) creates campaign settings using Free League’s RPGs, many of which use the Year Zero system (Year Zero Engine OGL).
This month goes into greater Middle-earth world building depth showing how to create landmarks for The One Ring Second Edition (which doesn’t use the Year Zero system).
Landmarks are smaller locations in Middle-earth with detailed information on the inhabitants along with maps but without scenes or a fully fleshed out adventure. A Loremaster with several landmarks on hand can allow the Company to roam freely and pick and choose what landmarks to explore.
In the One Ring core rulebook, the world of Middle-earth is broken up into smaller locations in northwest Eriador. Just one of these locations can yield a handful of landmarks.
For example, Lake Evendim has at least five suggestions of landmarks. A Loremaster decides to tell their Company of Player-heroes that the campaign will kick off with exploration and treasure hunting around Lake Evendim. The Loremaster then creates a number of landmarks equal to the number of Player-heroes focusing in just on the Name and Rumor to start.
If there are five Player-heroes in the Company the following landmarks get rumors created for them: Hills of Evendim, The Stone House, The Western Tower, The Islands of Lake Evendim, and the Drowned Ruins of Annuminas. Each Player-hero gets one rumor about each landmark. When they are introducing themselves, each of them can talk about their rumor and the Company can pick one to investigate.
Character creation is done ahead of the first game night, and then the Loremaster takes the chosen landmark and fleshes it out. The landmark needs more details like a map and encounters, possible further events, and deeper lore. Treasure can also be generated ahead of time.
For the Hills of Evendim, here is a landmark example:
- Name: Hills of Evendim
- Rumor Once, the Hills of Evendim were the home of a folk that built upon their slopes even before the Men of the West settled there, and many stones still bear their markings. Hidden tombs still contain their treasures some say. But these days, they have become a wild and dangerous place, threatened by wandering Trolls and other monsters. There are even rumours that a few of their strange kind sometimes slip into the south along the Shire’s North Moors.
Old Lore
On Middle Men
The Hills of Evendim are Emyn Uial in Sindarin. In the Second Age, when the Exiles of Númenor first returned to Middle-earth, the Hills of Evendim were populated by Middle Men related to the ancestors of the Edain. In the Third Age, the Men of Evendim merged with the Dúnedain, becoming the people of Arnor. When Arnor divided into three separate kingdoms, the Hills of Evendim were part of the kingdom of Arthedain. After the fall of the North Kingdom the hills remained unpopulated until the end of the age.
Middle Men was a term used by the Númenóreans to describe the Men of Middle-earth who were related to the Edain, the ancestors of the Númenóreans themselves. The proper term is “Men of Twilight” (as opposed to the Men of Gondor, “Men of Light”, and the Haradrim and Easterlings, “Men of Darkness” etc.).
The Northmen of Rhovanion were counted as Middle Men, as were most people living in Eriador. During the Third Age the term Middle Men was still applied to the Men of Bree, and the remaining Northmen, such as the Men of Dale and Esgaroth, the Lake-town, and of course the Rohirrim.
Tale of Years
I am Lady Celeneth, a Middle Man and loyal vassal of the North Kingdom, leading Crags Deep, a keep garrisoned by knights, archers, and spearmen. Weeks ago I received word that the North Kingdom fell. I refused to retreat and stayed out my post. Any of my vassals were given leave to retreat. They all stayed. Everyone. Never more have I been proud to be a Middle Man. A fell Captain of the Witch-king besieges our keep and is massing to force a way across the water despite the broken bridge. After I pen these words, perhaps my last, I go armored and armed to stand with my soldiers. We may be the last garrison of the Middle Men in the Hills of Evendim. If so, we will make the Witch-king pay for this keep in orcs and blood.
- Background In the hills is an old castle of the Middle Men along with a pack of hunting trolls. The Troll spoor is five days north of the Shire and the castle six in the Evendim Hills.
Journey Events A chance meeting will be with Beinion and Arin, married Rangers from the Stone House.
- Map
Map of Amber’s Peak from Raven’s Purge for the Forbidden Lands RPG.
- Locations (numbers from the Amber’s Peak map)
- Broken bridge to bypass.
- Dark spell manifesting as a curse in a ruined orc camp. The moat is filled with broken and burned boats and broken makeshift bridges, now rotting. Piles of orcs died here. Beneath the bones of them are the skeletons of men. A horrible curse lingers here.
- Gate
Curse is described for any Player-hero taking 1 Shadow Point. Lady Celeneth is tied here as undead with a dread spell etched into her throne.
- Lesser Keep (Library)
Battlefield (Library): water drips down the walls and puddles on the floor. -1D to attacks, but the fell wraiths ignore. Unlit torches on the wall but wet (roll to light).
3 fell wraiths
Treasure 10 and two books on Middle Men and the keep’s Tale of Years.
- Main Hall (Throne Room)
Battlefield (Throne Rome): The floor is broken with holes fighters can fall through. Unlit torches and rotted tapestries and rugs.
Written on the throne are in foul words when gives the barrow wight her sorcery spells and ties her spirit here. Destroying the throne releases sorcerous power. 3 Shadow Points (Dread). If the throne is destroyed and the barrow wight is defeated, Lady Celeneth’s spirit is freed. Otherwise, the barrow wight reforms in three days along with any defeated fell wraiths.
barrow wight (Lady Celeneth), and 5 fell wraiths
Treasure 18 and a 7 treasure armband with purple amethysts of Westernesse Mannish make
Schemes and Trouble
- camp of Middle Men (on the Amber’s Peak map) The ruined castle is guarded by 6 men waiting for king’s kin to come challenge the castle led by Torwald. Possible Council to convince them to let the Player-heroes try to lift the curse on the ruins
On the Journey to the ruins Troll spoor. Scan. A smaller troll headed north. Its prints are deep as if it were carrying something heavy like treasure. A bigger one headed south, towards the Shire. Its stride is wide as if it were moving fast.
South Big troll is threatening a traveler.
Battlefield (marsh between hillsides): marshy ground surrounded by hillsides. Attack down from hill +1 die. Fight in marshy area -1 die or ignore but on an Eye fall and lose next action standing back up.
Stone-troll robber
Stone-troll chief
Varinn barding scholar
If the Player-heroes let him perish by pursuing treasure first and later follow the spoor, they find Varinn’s remains. The trolls had sport with him. Each Player-hero gets a Shadow Point.
North Two trolls in a den asleep during the day.
Battlefield (troll den): dead broken trees in a small grove near a cliff face with a cave opening only big enough for one troll to get through. Rocks and trees give -1D to the opening volley.
2 Stone-troll robbers
20 treasure and Cora Nár, a sapphire with a blue flame created by the Elves of Beleriand worth 5 treasure
When the Company finishes that landmark, the Loremaster can ask them if they want to follow up on anything they learned or pick another landmark and Journey there. Either way, the Company becomes self-guided. The Loremaster can include the occasional longer adventure in between landmarks as the campaign unfolds.
Picture credit: Pixabay
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