The One Ring RPG Hands of the White Wizard
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Adventures for The One Ring, second edition
Hands of the White Wizard
"Six missions for the White Wizard. Serve him or spy on him. And perhaps, change the ending everyone knows."
What it's about
Six trials in the service of the White Wizard, before his fall
Hands of the White Wizard is an anthology of six adventures for The One Ring, the award-winning RPG from Free League set in Middle-earth, in its second edition. Heroes are sent to serve (or spy on) Saruman the White, Lord of Isengard, in the years when he is still the wisest of his order and the Enemy's main adversary.
The adventures in Hands of the White Wizard cover a period from TA 2965 until the first moves of the War of the Ring. They can be played loosely, as evening one-shots, or sequentially as a single long campaign. Session after session, the group's choices increase the Wizard's Shadow, changing Isengard and Saruman himself.
The heart of Hands of the White Wizard is not monsters, but a question: is the White Wizard's fate already written, or can the heroes still save him from corruption? It is one of Tolkien's greatest "what ifs", largely written by Gareth Hanrahan (also author of Moria) and turned into a playable campaign, with the typical editorial care of the line.
"His knowledge is deep, but his pride has grown with it."
J.R.R. Tolkien, Gandalf on Saruman, The Fellowship of the Ring
What they say abroad
"One of the most ambitious supplements released for The One Ring."
One of the most ambitious supplements ever released for The One Ring.
Press Play Media
A campaign as "a single, tightening noose."
A noose that tightens, chapter after chapter.
XPN Network
Four tables, one book
Who this anthology really serves
Hands of the White Wizard is not just "more adventures." It puts an iconic character at the center and has something concrete to offer four very different types of players.
If you are a Loremaster
You'll find six ready-made adventures with hooks, NPCs, a detailed map of Isengard, and a very useful final index. It's the material to say "we play tonight" instead of "we'll talk about it next month," at conventions as at home.
If you love Tolkien's lore
Saruman before the fall, carefully written: wisdom that grows and pride that grows with it. A little-explored period of the legendarium, from 2965 to the eve of the War of the Ring, featuring Isengard, Orthanc, and the valley of Nan Curunír.
If you love The One Ring system
Here The One Ring shines. The Shadow, already at the heart of the game, becomes the engine of Saruman's fall. Journey, Fellowship, and Hope against Shadow tell Tolkien's story better than any combat table: a system built for stories, not numbers.
If you're looking for a "what if"
Here you can try to redeem Saruman. The group's choices shift his Shadow level and, chapter after chapter, can change an ending everyone takes for granted. A rare premise in an official adventure.
Hands of the White Wizard
FrogScore FroGames editorial rating based on rulebook, international reviews, and volume readingWhat you'll find in the book
Four pillars of Hands of the White Wizard
Six modular adventures
The Beast of Dunland, The Sea-Prince of the Shore, The Disaster of Gladden Fields, There Let Them Lie Until The End, The Quest of Moria, The Ithil-Stone. Playable separately or in sequence, in a single arc.
Playable Isengard
Orthanc, the valley of Nan Curunír, a detailed map, the Wizard's guards and servants. A base that the group visits multiple times and that changes as the story progresses.
Saruman's decline
A system that tracks the Wizard's Shadow: each additional point changes Isengard and Saruman, reaching the darkest thresholds. The group's actions truly impact the ending.
Lore and tools for the GM
Playable overview of the White Wizard, background of Isengard and the character, final index. All designed for the Loremaster who needs to prepare and manage the table.
Honesty first
What you will NOT find inside Hands of the White Wizard
We'll tell you before, not after purchase. Hands of the White Wizard is an anthology of adventures, not a complete manual. Here's what it does not contain, so you know exactly what you're buying.
The core rulebook
The One Ring (second edition) core rulebook is required. This is an adventure expansion: it cannot be played alone without the system manual.
An Italian edition
The book is in English. A minimum familiarity with English played at the table is required, including proper names, places, and mechanics.
Pregenerated characters
Characters are created with the core manual. Here you'll find the six adventures, NPCs, and situations, not ready-made protagonist sheets.
Tolkienian flavor from the first minute
The first two adventures (Dunland and Sea-Prince) are more classic fantasy and could fit in many worlds. Middle-earth focuses as the campaign progresses.
Total independence from other volumes
The book often refers to other manuals in the line (bestiaries, settings). It works, but having the full line makes preparation more convenient.
Miniatures or physical game maps
It's an adventure book. Maps are illustrations and references for the GM, not printed mats or tokens to lay out on the table.
No surprises
To bring it to the table, you only need this
✅ You need…
- This volume plus The One Ring 2E core rulebook
- The One Ring dice (Fate Die d12 and Success dice d6)
- 3 to 5 players and a Loremaster
- A read of the first chapter before the session
❌ You do NOT need…
- Trials of Saruman, the twin 5E version (choose one)
- To know Tolkien's books by heart
- Miniatures or extra game accessories
- Additional digital material or online accounts
FroGames Tip
Play the six adventures in order, at least the first time. The choices you make in the first two (Dunland and Sea-Prince) will come back later and influence Saruman's Shadow level, the true hidden protagonist. Keep track of it on a sheet clearly visible at the table. And if the group isn't familiar with technical English, prepare a list of names and places beforehand: you'll save pauses in the middle of the session.
"There is a moment, before the fall, when even the wisest can still choose. Tonight, that choice is in the hands of your table."
📖The six adventuresFrom 2965 to the first moves of the War of the Ring
The Beast of Dunland
The opening: disputes to resolve and a threat to hunt in the lands of Dunland. Decisions made here will come back later in the campaign.
The Sea-Prince of the Shore
A second mission with a more adventurous flavor, still close to classic fantasy, but with consequences that intertwine with later choices.
The Disaster of Gladden Fields
The Tolkienian thread tightens: the Gladden Fields, a place full of Middle-earth's dark history, enter the heroes' journey.
There Let Them Lie Until The End
A chapter with a darker and more somber tone, as Saruman's Shadow grows and Isengard begins to change its appearance.
The Quest of Moria
One of the most iconic missions: the depths of Moria, among the most beloved settings of the legendarium, in service of the Wizard's plans.
The Ithil-Stone
The concluding chapter: the palantír and the highest stakes, where Saruman's fate can still be written differently.
🧩Volume Structure and What You NeedWhat you open and what you need to play
The First Session
How the story might begin at your table
The Delivery
The group receives the badge of the White Hand: you are now in Saruman's service. Someone, perhaps, also has a second secret assignment.
The First Mission
Sent to Dunland, to settle disputes and stop a beast. A concrete adventure, still with a classic flavour.
The First Choice
Serve faithfully or secretly report to those who suspect the Wizard? Every decision the group makes leaves its mark.
The Shadow Grows
Back in Isengard, something about the White Wizard has changed. The forges work harder, his gaze is colder. The Shadow rises.
The Crossroads of Fate
Chapter after chapter, up to the Ithil Stone, towards an ending that your table can still rewrite.
From the box to the table
How to organize a session
Choose the format
Single one-shot for an evening, or sequential campaign, chapter after chapter.
Read the chapter
Each adventure must be read beforehand. Note hooks, NPCs, and cross-references to other volumes in the line.
Prepare the Shadow
Keep track of Saruman's Shadow level between sessions: it is the thread of the campaign.
Play and leave consequences
The group's choices change Isengard, change the Wizard, and change the ending. Let them weigh heavily.
Honest comparison
Hands of the White Wizard and other The One Ring adventures
| Hands of the White Wizard | Moria: Through the Doors of Durin | Ruins of the Lost Realm | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Format | Anthology of 6 adventures | Mega-campaign in one location | Region guide with adventures |
| Focus | Saruman and Isengard | The depths of Moria | The lost lands of Arnor |
| Commitment | One-shot or campaign | A single long descent | Region exploration |
| Mode | Loose or sequential | Guided campaign | Explorable sandbox |
| Tone | Intrigue, foretold tragedy | Epic, claustrophobic, legendary | Adventurous, exploratory |
| What makes it special | An iconic villain at the center, modifiable ending | All of Moria to cross | A region of Arnor to explore at will |
Why it's worth 39.99 euros
Six concrete reasons to put it on the Loremaster's shelf
Saruman like never before
The first true playable portrait of the White Wizard in a modern RPG, before his fall, at the height of his wisdom.
Modifiable ending
Corruption can still be stopped. The group's choices shift the Shadow and can change a fate everyone takes for granted.
Six adventures, two uses
One-shot for a convention or a single evening, or a single long campaign. The same book serves both.
Living Isengard
Map, NPCs and a base that changes with Saruman's descent: Isengard becomes the physical mirror of the Wizard's decline.
Signed Gareth Hanrahan
Largely written by Gareth Hanrahan, author of Moria: the same clear and melancholic prose, applied to the trajectory of the White Wizard.
The Shadow as a driving force
The One Ring puts the Shadow at the heart of the game: Saruman's fall is not a table, it's a mechanic that the table feels growing session after session.
How long it will last over time
How long it will last at your table
An entire campaign
Played sequentially, the six adventures form an arc of tens of hours of gameplay and a complete story, from Dunland to the Ithil Stone.
Bring Saruman to your table.
Reusable material
Even after, they remain: one-shots to be proposed again with different groups, NPCs and an Isengard ready as a base for other stories in Middle-earth.
A book that remains on the Loremaster's shelf.
Real Questions
Answers before you buy
Is it worth it if I'm new to The One Ring?
Is it difficult to prepare?
Do I need the core manual to play?
Is it in Italian?
Can I play it as a one-shot?
What's the difference from Trials of Saruman?
Hands of the White Wizard is an anthology of six adventures for The One Ring, Free League Publishing's award-winning role-playing game set in Middle-earth, in its second edition. In Hands of the White Wizard, heroes serve or monitor Saruman the White in Isengard, from 2965 of the Third Age until the first moves of the War of the Ring. The six adventures (The Beast of Dunland, The Sea-Prince of the Shore, The Disaster of Gladden Fields, There Let Them Lie Until The End, The Quest of Moria, The Ithil-Stone), largely written by Gareth Hanrahan, can be played as one-shots or as a campaign, with the Shadow system allowing the Wizard's fate to be changed. English edition for The One Ring 2E. Hands of the White Wizard is available on FroGames.it.
The One Ring RPG Hands of the White Wizard
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