Middle earth narrative play is getting a fresh injection of pure cinema. This time, the focus is Gollum’s tragic slide, and the chaos he drags behind him.
However, it is not just lore flavour, because it is built to hit the table fast. So if you like story missions that feel like scenes, this is aimed at you. And yes, Shelob is absolutely here to ruin somebody’s day.
Gollum’s Tragedy Sets the Mood for the Whole Journal
Jay frames Sméagol as a truly brutal cautionary tale. He finds the One Ring by accident, and then it basically eats his identity. Although it grants him an unnaturally long life, it also twists him until even his name slips away. So he becomes Gollum, skulking under the Misty Mountains, until Bilbo shows up and the Ring abandons him.
After that, the chase is on. Gollum hunts for “Baggins” for years, and eventually collides with Frodo, who now carries the Ring. Then Frodo spares him, which matters, because you get those fleeting Sméagol moments again. However, Gollum never really leaves, and he is always waiting. Therefore, the path to Cirith Ungol feels less like travel and more like a trap slowly closing.
Nine Narrative Scenarios That Hit Iconic Movie Beats
This journal follows Gollum’s story through the Lord of the Rings films, and it lets you play famous moments with your Citadel collection. There are nine Narrative Scenarios, and they feature Gollum, Shelob, or both.
The Taming of Sméagol is a quick hit scenario with Gollum trying to snatch the Ring from sleeping Frodo and Sam. Meanwhile, The Dead Marshes leans into tension and hazard, as Sméagol guides them through the bog while Spectres lurk and a Nazgûl circles above. Then Escape Through the Sewers shifts into stealth mode, because the trio tries slipping out of Osgiliath while the battle rages overhead.
Shelob’s Lair Sounds Like a Horror Game in Miniatures Form
Jay calls out The Paths of Cirith Ungol and Shelob’s Lair as favourites, and the hook is the board itself. Both use a custom Shelob’s Lair made from tessellating 1’x1′ tiles. So the map reveals as you move, which already feels stressful. However, the real spice is that the Shelob player controls the flow, since Shelob moves secretly and stays hidden.
At the start, only one tile is revealed. Then as the intruder pushes forward, more tunnels appear and the route twists toward the exit. Still, you might flip a tile and find Web Markers, or worse, Shelob herself. As a result, one player gets creeping dread, and the other gets full monster movie director energy.
Summary
This designer chat only mentions the article once, yet it lays out the whole pitch clearly. You get nine film inspired Narrative Scenarios, plus a linked campaign where results carry forward, so wins and losses actually matter later. Moreover, you also get ‘Eavy Metal guides for painting Gollum and Shelob, and terrain tutorials for the Dead Marshes, Osgiliath sewers, and that modular Shelob’s Lair. Finally, the journal goes up for pre order on Saturday, alongside Shelob and Sméagol, so it looks like a perfect weekend excuse to build terrain and start a story run.
And remember, Frontline Gaming sells gaming products at a discount, every day in their webcart!
