The official synopsis for Amazon's The Lord of the Ring TV series has been revealed, giving fans a glimpse of what their next adventure into Midde-earth will be. The plot synopsis was obtained by by TheOneRing.Net and confirmed by IGN, and while it doesn't give a ton of new details, it does mention some of the locations that will be featured in the show, including the Misty Mountains, Lindon, and Númenor. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/08/19/amazons-lord-of-the-rings-the-second-age-explained"] The full synopsis is as follows; "Amazon Studios’ forthcoming series brings to screens for the very first time the heroic legends of the fabled Second Age of Middle-earth’s history. This epic drama is set thousands of years before the events of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, and will take viewers back to an era in which great powers were forged, kingdoms rose to glory and fell to ruin, unlikely heroes were tested, hope hung by the finest of threads, and the greatest villain that ever flowed from Tolkien’s pen threatened to cover all the world in darkness. Beginning in a time of relative peace, the series follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared re-emergence of evil to Middle-earth. From the darkest depths of the Misty Mountains, to the majestic forests of the elf-capital of Lindon, to the breathtaking island kingdom of Númenor, to the furthest reaches of the map, these kingdoms and characters will carve out legacies that live on long after they are gone." Amazon's The Lord of the Rings prequel will take place in the Second Age of Middle-earth, which spans a long period of time between the original Dark Lord Morgoth and the first defeat of his servant Sauron. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=amazons-the-lord-of-the-rings-every-confirmed-actor&captions=true"] For more on Amazon's Lord of the Rings series, which is currently in production in New Zealand, check out which familiar characters may be showing up, which actors have joined the show, and our explainer of The Second Age. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com. Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

The official synopsis for Amazon's The Lord of the Ring TV series has been revealed, giving fans a glimpse of what their next adventure into Midde-earth will be. The plot synopsis was obtained by by TheOneRing.Net and confirmed by IGN, and while it doesn't give a ton of new details, it does mention some of the locations that will be featured in the show, including the Misty Mountains, Lindon, and Númenor. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/08/19/amazons-lord-of-the-rings-the-second-age-explained"] The full synopsis is as follows; "Amazon Studios’ forthcoming series brings to screens for the very first time the heroic legends of the fabled Second Age of Middle-earth’s history. This epic drama is set thousands of years before the events of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, and will take viewers back to an era in which great powers were forged, kingdoms rose to glory and fell to ruin, unlikely heroes were tested, hope hung by the finest of threads, and the greatest villain that ever flowed from Tolkien’s pen threatened to cover all the world in darkness. Beginning in a time of relative peace, the series follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared re-emergence of evil to Middle-earth. From the darkest depths of the Misty Mountains, to the majestic forests of the elf-capital of Lindon, to the breathtaking island kingdom of Númenor, to the furthest reaches of the map, these kingdoms and characters will carve out legacies that live on long after they are gone." Amazon's The Lord of the Rings prequel will take place in the Second Age of Middle-earth, which spans a long period of time between the original Dark Lord Morgoth and the first defeat of his servant Sauron. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=amazons-the-lord-of-the-rings-every-confirmed-actor&captions=true"] For more on Amazon's Lord of the Rings series, which is currently in production in New Zealand, check out which familiar characters may be showing up, which actors have joined the show, and our explainer of The Second Age. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com. Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

The Razer Blade 15 is one of the new gaming laptops coming out of CES 2021 that combines a QHD screen with Nvidia's new RTX 30-series mobile GPUs. In short, it's the match we've all been screaming for. Razer's refresh of its flagship Blade gaming laptop now comes with 10th Gen Intel Core H-series processors and Nvidia's new RTX graphics, plus a bevy of screen options. In fact, there are a total of nine new configurations for the Razer Blade 15 split between the Base and Advanced Models. We’re not going to pore over all the different little specs, but the main thing you need to know about the base model is it features a 6-core Intel Core i7-10750H processor and graphics options that go from an Nvidia GTX 1660 Ti to an Nvidia RTX 3060. The Advanced Model starts with an 8-core Intel Core i7-10875H processor and either an Nvidia RTX 3070 or RTX 3080 with up to 16GB of video memory. The version we’re most excited about is the $2,499 model that combines an 8-core processor and Nvidia RTX 3070 graphics with a 2560 x 1440 resolution IPS display with a 240Hz refresh rate. This is the first time we’re seeing QHD screens on a mainstream gaming laptop, and with the power of Ampere finally coming to laptops it should deliver some pretty high FPS. The Razer Blade 15 is available for preorder now direct from Razer and will be available for general retail on January 26th [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com Kevin Lee is IGN's Hardware and Roundups Editor. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam

The Razer Blade 15 is one of the new gaming laptops coming out of CES 2021 that combines a QHD screen with Nvidia's new RTX 30-series mobile GPUs. In short, it's the match we've all been screaming for. Razer's refresh of its flagship Blade gaming laptop now comes with 10th Gen Intel Core H-series processors and Nvidia's new RTX graphics, plus a bevy of screen options. In fact, there are a total of nine new configurations for the Razer Blade 15 split between the Base and Advanced Models. We’re not going to pore over all the different little specs, but the main thing you need to know about the base model is it features a 6-core Intel Core i7-10750H processor and graphics options that go from an Nvidia GTX 1660 Ti to an Nvidia RTX 3060. The Advanced Model starts with an 8-core Intel Core i7-10875H processor and either an Nvidia RTX 3070 or RTX 3080 with up to 16GB of video memory. The version we’re most excited about is the $2,499 model that combines an 8-core processor and Nvidia RTX 3070 graphics with a 2560 x 1440 resolution IPS display with a 240Hz refresh rate. This is the first time we’re seeing QHD screens on a mainstream gaming laptop, and with the power of Ampere finally coming to laptops it should deliver some pretty high FPS. The Razer Blade 15 is available for preorder now direct from Razer and will be available for general retail on January 26th [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com Kevin Lee is IGN's Hardware and Roundups Editor. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam

Razer loves to go big at CES. In years past, the company has shown off everything from a triple-monitor gaming laptop to a fully immersive racing simulator. This year, Razer is showing off two concept projects: an immersive gaming chair and a high-tech face mask outfitted with, in true Razer fashion, RGB lighting. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=razer-ces-2021-project-hazel&captions=true"] Project Hazel is Razer's take on a "smart" mask. It would use a detachable, rechargeable active-ventilation system to regulate airflow, with N95 medical-grade respirator protection to filter at least 95% of airborne particles. The design also features a transparent front panel so that people can see your facial expressions, or, when communicating with people who are deaf or hard of hearing, read your lips. The mask would also use a "VoiceAmp" technology featuring a built-in microphone and amplifier to prevent the mask from muffling your voice. And to top it of, of course, it features Razer Chroma RGB lighting. Of course, to be clear, Project Hazel is only a concept project, and is extremely unlikely to come to market in its current form, if at all. That said, cheesy sci-fi aesthetics aside, it's nice to see companies thinking about ways to take on some of the common complaints about masks, given they have become an essential part of everyday life. Razer's other concept this year is Project Brooklyn, an all-in-one immersive gaming chair. The idea is an ergonomic chair with built-in haptic feedback and a retractable, wraparound curved screen. Visuals would be delivered by a 60-inch rollable OLED display that retracts and folds into the chair when not in use. Similarly, the armrests adjust and retract as needed depending on if you're playing on PC with mouse and keyboard or console with a controller. Again, this is just a concept product that likely will never exist as a real product, at least in its current form. As for real products, at CES Razer also showed off new versions of its Blade 15 and 17 gaming laptops, most notably featuring a new 1440p screen option. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Bo Moore is IGN's Executive Editor of Tech. Follow him on Twitter @usebomswisely.

Razer loves to go big at CES. In years past, the company has shown off everything from a triple-monitor gaming laptop to a fully immersive racing simulator. This year, Razer is showing off two concept projects: an immersive gaming chair and a high-tech face mask outfitted with, in true Razer fashion, RGB lighting. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=razer-ces-2021-project-hazel&captions=true"] Project Hazel is Razer's take on a "smart" mask. It would use a detachable, rechargeable active-ventilation system to regulate airflow, with N95 medical-grade respirator protection to filter at least 95% of airborne particles. The design also features a transparent front panel so that people can see your facial expressions, or, when communicating with people who are deaf or hard of hearing, read your lips. The mask would also use a "VoiceAmp" technology featuring a built-in microphone and amplifier to prevent the mask from muffling your voice. And to top it of, of course, it features Razer Chroma RGB lighting. Of course, to be clear, Project Hazel is only a concept project, and is extremely unlikely to come to market in its current form, if at all. That said, cheesy sci-fi aesthetics aside, it's nice to see companies thinking about ways to take on some of the common complaints about masks, given they have become an essential part of everyday life. Razer's other concept this year is Project Brooklyn, an all-in-one immersive gaming chair. The idea is an ergonomic chair with built-in haptic feedback and a retractable, wraparound curved screen. Visuals would be delivered by a 60-inch rollable OLED display that retracts and folds into the chair when not in use. Similarly, the armrests adjust and retract as needed depending on if you're playing on PC with mouse and keyboard or console with a controller. Again, this is just a concept product that likely will never exist as a real product, at least in its current form. As for real products, at CES Razer also showed off new versions of its Blade 15 and 17 gaming laptops, most notably featuring a new 1440p screen option. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Bo Moore is IGN's Executive Editor of Tech. Follow him on Twitter @usebomswisely.

The Asus ROG Flow X13 is reinventing the dream of having a thin-and-light laptop that connects to an external graphics card for dramatically better gaming performance. The first half of the Asus ROG Flow X13 is an ultra-slim and convertible 13-inch laptop equipped with an 8-core AMD Ryzen 9 5980HS processor and Nvidia GTX 1650 graphics. The other half is the Asus ROG XG Mobile, a power bank-sized external GPU that houses the latest mobile version of Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 3080 GPU. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=asus-rog-flow-x13&captions=true"] The laptop by itself measures 15.8mm thick and weighs 2.9 pounds, meanwhile, the eGPU dock measures 155 x 208 x 29mm and weighs only about 2.2 pounds. Asus claims its compact eGPU is only 6% of the size of a traditional external GPU box that utilizes desktop graphics cards. As for power, the laptop’s built-in GPU has enough graphical oomph to get you through most of your tasks with 1,255MHz of power. But for gaming, you’ll really want to utilize the Nvidia RTX 3080 at its full 1,810MHz power and all its 2nd generation RT Cores. Additionally, Asus has developed a gaming laptop that’s not only ultraportable but is also versatile for multiple uses beyond gaming. The Asus ROG Flow X13 is a convertible laptop with a 360-degree hinge that allows users to flip the screen over and use the machine as a Windows tablet. In this mode, users can draw, play touch-based games, and watch streaming media. The screen looks fantastic on paper too with an Ultra HD 4K resolution, 16:10 aspect ratio, and a 120Hz refresh rate. As for its other specs, the Asus ROG Flow X13 features DDR4X 4,266MHz memory and SSD capacity up to 1TB. You can also expect 10 hours of video playback from this notebook’s battery. And when you want to get to gaming you simply connect the ROG XG Mobile to the laptop with a propriety cable. Rather than using Thunderbolt 3 or 4, Asus opted to develop a custom PCIe 3.0 x 8 interface that it claims is faster. Users can connect this eGPU box to a gaming monitor using its DisplayPort 1.4 and HDMI 2.0a ports. This compact external GPU also acts as a 280W AC adapter for the laptop and I/O hub thanks to its attached USB 3.2 Gen 2 connector. The Asus ROG Flow X13 should be up for preorder now on Asus’ website, but as of this writing, the company has yet to disclose pricing or availability. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com Kevin Lee is IGN's Hardware and Roundups Editor. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam

The Asus ROG Flow X13 is reinventing the dream of having a thin-and-light laptop that connects to an external graphics card for dramatically better gaming performance. The first half of the Asus ROG Flow X13 is an ultra-slim and convertible 13-inch laptop equipped with an 8-core AMD Ryzen 9 5980HS processor and Nvidia GTX 1650 graphics. The other half is the Asus ROG XG Mobile, a power bank-sized external GPU that houses the latest mobile version of Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 3080 GPU. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=asus-rog-flow-x13&captions=true"] The laptop by itself measures 15.8mm thick and weighs 2.9 pounds, meanwhile, the eGPU dock measures 155 x 208 x 29mm and weighs only about 2.2 pounds. Asus claims its compact eGPU is only 6% of the size of a traditional external GPU box that utilizes desktop graphics cards. As for power, the laptop’s built-in GPU has enough graphical oomph to get you through most of your tasks with 1,255MHz of power. But for gaming, you’ll really want to utilize the Nvidia RTX 3080 at its full 1,810MHz power and all its 2nd generation RT Cores. Additionally, Asus has developed a gaming laptop that’s not only ultraportable but is also versatile for multiple uses beyond gaming. The Asus ROG Flow X13 is a convertible laptop with a 360-degree hinge that allows users to flip the screen over and use the machine as a Windows tablet. In this mode, users can draw, play touch-based games, and watch streaming media. The screen looks fantastic on paper too with an Ultra HD 4K resolution, 16:10 aspect ratio, and a 120Hz refresh rate. As for its other specs, the Asus ROG Flow X13 features DDR4X 4,266MHz memory and SSD capacity up to 1TB. You can also expect 10 hours of video playback from this notebook’s battery. And when you want to get to gaming you simply connect the ROG XG Mobile to the laptop with a propriety cable. Rather than using Thunderbolt 3 or 4, Asus opted to develop a custom PCIe 3.0 x 8 interface that it claims is faster. Users can connect this eGPU box to a gaming monitor using its DisplayPort 1.4 and HDMI 2.0a ports. This compact external GPU also acts as a 280W AC adapter for the laptop and I/O hub thanks to its attached USB 3.2 Gen 2 connector. The Asus ROG Flow X13 should be up for preorder now on Asus’ website, but as of this writing, the company has yet to disclose pricing or availability. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com Kevin Lee is IGN's Hardware and Roundups Editor. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam

Wizards of the Coast has announced a new Dungeons and Dragons book called Candlekeep Mysteries, which will launch on March 16. The title alludes to the library-fortress of Candlekeep, which will be familiar to fans of the Forgotten Realms campaign setting. The tome will feature "seventeen mystery-themed adventures each centred around a single book found in the iconic library fortress" and provide background information about Candlekeep itself. The expeditions offered by Candlekeep Mysteries are designed to be played as one-shots - so they wrap up within the course of one tabletop session. The adventures in Candlekeep include 'The Canopic Being', in which "a book brings several puzzling organ transplants to light," 'Kandlekeep Dekonstruktion', in which "a stolen book leads adventurers to a tower in Candlekeep that is more than what it seems", and 'Zikran's Zephyrean Tome', where "a djinni trapped in a book offers a wish spell to adventurers who find a way to release him." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=dungeons-dragons-candlekeep-mysteries-covers-and-art&captions=true"] However, Dungeon Masters will be able to drop these stories seamlessly into existing campaigns. WOTC says that the book is handy for DM's who want to "inject new characters, story hooks, magic items, and monsters into their game without tons of prep". Dungeons and Dragons Principal Story Designer Chris Perkins notes that the anthology is meant to "reflect the incredible creativity of the D&D community," as it features adventures written by a variety of authors, listed below:

• Graeme Barber (@POCGamer)
• Kelly Lynne D’Angelo (@kellylynnedang)
• Alison Huang (@Drazillion)
• Mark Hulmes (@sherlock_hulmes)
• Jennifer Kretchmer (@dreamwisp)
• Daniel Kwan (@danielhkwan)
• Adam Lee (@adamofadventure)
• Ari Levitch (@AriLevitch)
• Chris Lindsay (@ravens_watching)
• Sarah Madsen (@UnfetteredMuse),
• Christopher Perkins (@ChrisPerkinsDnD)
• Michael Polkinghorn (@MiketheGoalie)
• Taymoor Rehman (@DarkestCrows)
• Hannah Rose (@wildrosemage)
• Kienna Shaw (@kiennas)
• Brandes Stoddard (@BrandesStoddard)
• Amy Vorpahl (@vorpahlsword)
• Toni Winslow-Brill (@vorgryth)

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/12/13/dark-alliance-announced-as-new-dungeons-dragons-game-ign-now"] In other Dungeons and Dragons news, check out this premium D&D set which may include the largest battle map ever. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

Wizards of the Coast has announced a new Dungeons and Dragons book called Candlekeep Mysteries, which will launch on March 16. The title alludes to the library-fortress of Candlekeep, which will be familiar to fans of the Forgotten Realms campaign setting. The tome will feature "seventeen mystery-themed adventures each centred around a single book found in the iconic library fortress" and provide background information about Candlekeep itself. The expeditions offered by Candlekeep Mysteries are designed to be played as one-shots - so they wrap up within the course of one tabletop session. The adventures in Candlekeep include 'The Canopic Being', in which "a book brings several puzzling organ transplants to light," 'Kandlekeep Dekonstruktion', in which "a stolen book leads adventurers to a tower in Candlekeep that is more than what it seems", and 'Zikran's Zephyrean Tome', where "a djinni trapped in a book offers a wish spell to adventurers who find a way to release him." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=dungeons-dragons-candlekeep-mysteries-covers-and-art&captions=true"] However, Dungeon Masters will be able to drop these stories seamlessly into existing campaigns. WOTC says that the book is handy for DM's who want to "inject new characters, story hooks, magic items, and monsters into their game without tons of prep". Dungeons and Dragons Principal Story Designer Chris Perkins notes that the anthology is meant to "reflect the incredible creativity of the D&D community," as it features adventures written by a variety of authors, listed below:

• Graeme Barber (@POCGamer)
• Kelly Lynne D’Angelo (@kellylynnedang)
• Alison Huang (@Drazillion)
• Mark Hulmes (@sherlock_hulmes)
• Jennifer Kretchmer (@dreamwisp)
• Daniel Kwan (@danielhkwan)
• Adam Lee (@adamofadventure)
• Ari Levitch (@AriLevitch)
• Chris Lindsay (@ravens_watching)
• Sarah Madsen (@UnfetteredMuse),
• Christopher Perkins (@ChrisPerkinsDnD)
• Michael Polkinghorn (@MiketheGoalie)
• Taymoor Rehman (@DarkestCrows)
• Hannah Rose (@wildrosemage)
• Kienna Shaw (@kiennas)
• Brandes Stoddard (@BrandesStoddard)
• Amy Vorpahl (@vorpahlsword)
• Toni Winslow-Brill (@vorgryth)

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/12/13/dark-alliance-announced-as-new-dungeons-dragons-game-ign-now"] In other Dungeons and Dragons news, check out this premium D&D set which may include the largest battle map ever. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.