RPG Spotlight shines a light on the latest RPG releases to help GMs decide if the book will improve and enhance their campaigns. Realms of the Three Rings and Keepers of the Elven-Rings, by Free League Publishing, are two sides of the same coin: Tolkien elves depicted in the Third Age of Middle-earth using The One Ring rules as well as Dungeons & Dragons 2024 Edition.
Realms of the Three Rings and Keepers of the Elven-Rings cover three elven realms built with the power of one of the three rings of the elves: Lindon, Rivendell, and Lothlorien. Dangers facing the elves, adventure sites elves may visit, and rules for both high elves and wood elves are also included. My thanks to Free League for sending me a copy of each book to spotlight.
Three Rings: Elves are Deeply Magical
The elves of Middle-earth are immortal, deeply magical, and in many ways otherworldly. If not killed by misadventure they do not die but instead depart for the Undying Lands when they grow weary of the world. Three of the elven realms were shaped by one of the three rings and remain bastions of peace, natural beauty, and powerful magic. Elves, especially high elves, seem to live on song and story as much as other cultures thrive on food and drink. Elves sometime find other cultures difficult to understand. While immortal, the elves continue to suffer any grief or sorrow for all of eternity. Immortality has a weight that other cultures, who die and find escape from suffering, will never know.
A GM running a campaign not set in Middle-earth can still choose to make elves deeply magical. In Basic Expert D&D/Old-School Essentials elves already work this way being both fighter and magic-user. In other editions, elves can multi-class. Perhaps many of their leaders are fighter/magic-users. Another option is to use living memories. These allow PCs who spend time in an elven realm to experience things as they once happened again and again. In game terms, they can start their next adventure with inspiration.
Foes and Adventure Sites
Both books are filled with foes including orcs and undead, maps of adventure sites, and long-time foes of the elves, closer to their realms but thankfully less powerful than Sauron. GMs running a campaign in Middle-earth would have no problem running a campaign using any of the three elven realms. Lindon is not covered much in the novels, so it could be an interesting location.
GMs running campaigns in another world will find plenty of foes, adventure sites, maps, magic items, and NPCs to pull out and use. For example, Morlhoss is an incorporeal undead who can possess, via a magic item, the orc poisoner Zagruk. The spirit is that of an elf tormented and turned into a weapon of evil.
High Elves and Wood Elves
Both high elves and wood elves have long traditions in D&D. Elf-lights would be great to add to any setting, not just Middle-earth. The lights distract foes and make them easier to ambush. Lembas bread and the bow of the Galdhrim from Keepers of the Elven-Rings could be added to elven cultures even if not set in Middle-earth to aid in traveling and combat respectively.
Elves: Magical and Tragic
Elves should be more than humans with pointy ears and long lives. Campaigns set in Middle-earth will be greatly enhanced by this book. GMs running a campaign in another world who want to highlight elves’ magical nature and otherworldliness will find plenty of support in Realms of the Three Rings and Keepers of the Elven-Rings.
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