Heart of the Wild as a setting supplement

[Grands-Pas]

Is the Heart of the Wild supplement a useful addition to a beginning LM that wants to start with Tales from Wilderland? It seems to contain useful setting details but I'm not interested yet in The Darkening of Mirkwood or the multiple plot hooks it contains.

[zedturtle]

Is the Heart of the Wild supplement a useful addition to a beginning LM that wants to start with Tales from Wilderland? It seems to contain useful setting details but I'm not interested yet in The Darkening of Mirkwood or the multiple plot hooks it contains.

When I ran Tales, I used Heart to great effect... it added a lot of Undertaking options and allowed me to flesh out several places when the various heroes went home.

[PaulButler]

Yeah, Heart of the Wild absolutely stands on its own as a setting supplement.

[Earendil]

Is the Heart of the Wild supplement a useful addition to a beginning LM that wants to start with Tales from Wilderland? It seems to contain useful setting details but I'm not interested yet in The Darkening of Mirkwood or the multiple plot hooks it contains.

When I ran Tales, I used Heart to great effect... it added a lot of Undertaking options and allowed me to flesh out several places when the various heroes went home.

Likewise. I'm currently running Tales (just finished Kinstrife & Dark Tidings) and I've found Heart of the Wild invaluable. It's only getting more useful, too, as the players start to have their own things they want to do rather than me simply leading them around.

The other books I've got plenty of use out of are the Lake-Town sourcebook and Rivendell -- the latter mainly for magic items, but they will be going to Rivendell itself at the end of Those Who Tarry No Longer, since it seems churlish of the sons of Elrond to simply say, "Thanks for all your hard work, we'll take it from here, and you can clear off home now!" Rivendell is also a useful setting supplement, and I'm planning to fold at least one of the scenarios from Ruins of the North (Concerning Archers) into the campaign.

[shipwreck]

Just want to chime in here and agree with what's been said. This book is spectacular. Even if I didn't play the game I would probably own it as a Tolkien fan. So many fun and exciting little details. For example, I was just reviewing 'The Western Eaves' for my session Friday and was reading about Woodmen-town. Previously, looking over the description and the map of the town, I'd just skimmed the details. 'Oh, there's the palisade. Okay it's just a wall.' But if you read the description it provides really cool insights into the character of the Woodmen of Woodmen-town and just how tough and smart these guys have to be to survive in the forest. Stuff like that makes it pure gold.

[Majestic]

As one who ran Tales without Heart of the Wild (as I didn't have it yet), I completely agree that it fleshes out and gives all sorts of useful information that will make things much easier on the LM.

[SirGalrim]

I've personally never been so big fan of setting supplements. I enjoy adventures or campaign books better. Even if I don't run them, I can take bits and pieces from them. So when I recommend a setting sourcebook I really mean it.

[Rich H]

Is the Heart of the Wild supplement a useful addition to a beginning LM that wants to start with Tales from Wilderland?

Yes, it's primary purpose is that of a setting supplement for the region so it works in that capacity whether you are going to just run TfW, Darkening of Mirkwood, your own campaign or a combination of all three.

[Lorimez]

Is the Heart of the Wild supplement a useful addition to a beginning LM that wants to start with Tales from Wilderland? It seems to contain useful setting details but I'm not interested yet in The Darkening of Mirkwood or the multiple plot hooks it contains.

When I ran Tales, I used Heart to great effect... it added a lot of Undertaking options and allowed me to flesh out several places when the various heroes went home.

Couldn't agree more. Usually hate source books but I'm constantly interacting with mine when we're not gaming; reading up about the area or notable personalities etc.

Invest!

Lorimez

[Uristocles]

Hi folks—is there anything in Heart of the Wild that would need conversion to TOR-revised?