Whether or not you are a fan of the modern resurgence of Lord of the Rings in new adaptations such as Amazon’s Rings of Power, The War of the Rohirrim anime film, or the upcoming projects such as Andy Serkis’s The Hunt for Gollum or Stephen Colbert’s Shadows of the Past, it’s definitely a lively and exciting period for the iconic fantasy franchise.
While many upcoming projects have been met with mixed reactions among Tolkien enthusiasts, one announcement that has garnered almost universal acclaim is the Warhorse Studios open-world RPG that, while likely a ways off, is likely to deliver the Middle-Earth video game experience we’ve been waiting on for years.
However, if you’re a bit too impatient to wait for the official RPG from the studio that brought us the Kingdom Come: Deliverance franchise, there’s another RPG that you can dive into right now, and it’s getting an incredible expansion this September titled Lord of the Rings: Realms of the South (via Backerkit).
Free League Publishing has officially unveiled The White Tower and the Hall of Gold, one of the biggest expansions yet for The One Ring Roleplaying Game, with a BackerKit campaign set to launch in September 2026. The new sourcebook shifts the focus to Gondor and Rohan, allowing players to explore the last great kingdoms of Men during the Third Age as Sauron’s influence steadily grows across Middle-earth.
The expansion is designed as a substantial campaign book packed with lore, adventures, and opportunities to tell stories throughout these iconic realms, and will be released for The Lord of the Rings Roleplaying 5E version of the game as Lord Of The Rings: Realms Of The South.
The campaign is part of a larger “triple offering” that also includes Creatures Strange and Foul, a comprehensive bestiary introducing new enemies ranging from Black Númenórean agents and Haradrim champions to ancient evils lurking in forgotten corners of Middle-earth. This bestiary will also receive a 5E counterpart titled Of Orcs and Evil Things, also available in September alongside the main Backerkit launch.
Also part of the announcement is a Revised Core Rules book featuring new cover art by Antonio De Luca, clarified rules, and improved organization while remaining fully compatible with every existing supplement and adventure released for the second edition. Free League is also offering limited Collector’s Editions with deluxe faux-leather covers, while backers who reserve early can claim an exclusive dice bag as well.
The One Ring RPG is Free League’s officially licensed tabletop roleplaying game based on the works of J.R.R. Tolkien encourages players to create original heroes who journey across Middle-earth and is set between the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Its narrative-driven mechanics and faithfulness to Tolkien’s world have made it one of the most acclaimed fantasy tabletop RPGs in recent years, and it’s the perfect time to dive in ahead of the new expansion later this year.