Then there was a crash and a flash of flame and smoke. The waters of the Deeping–stream poured out hissing and foaming: they were choked no longer, a gaping hole was blasted in the wall. A host of dark shapes poured in. –The Two Towers
When Revealed: Shuffle the encounter discard pile into the encounter deck. Discard cards from the encounter deck until X enemies are discarded. X is the number of players. Add each enemy discarded this way to the staging area.
Forced: After a character is destroyed, place 1 progress on this stage (bypassing any active location).
If this stage is defeated, the players lose the game.
Over the wall and under the wall the last assault came sweeping like a dark wave upon a hill of sand. –The Two Towers
Feeling tha time is runing out on Wilyador's life, you gather the Athelas you have found and head back to Rhosgobel. You arrive at night, wondering if you have found enough of the herb...
When Revealed: Heal 5 wounds from Wilyador for each Athelas objective card the players control.
If Wilyador is completely healed when this effect resolves, Wilyador survives and the players have won the game. Otherwise, the players have lost the game.
As soon as he thinks that no one is watching, Gollum attempts to slip his bonds and escape.
The Dunlendings are more clever than you thought: using your gear as bait, they have lured you into a deep ravine where you are surrounded. A large warrior wearing a boar mantle strides forward and signals the attack. With no hope of escape, your only option is to fight...
When Revealed: Put Chief Turch into play, engaged with the first player.
Time X. X is 5 times the number of players in the game.
If a hero is destroyed at this stage, the players lose the game.
Forced: After the last time counter is removed from this stage, the players make engagement checks. Then, each engaged enemy makes an attack. If no heroes are destroyed by these attacks, the players win the game.
The Stormcaller once again slips out of your grasp, rounding the Cape of Andrast to the south.
Forced: At the end of the round, discard the top card of the encounter deck. the Stormcaller places progress on this stage equal to its 
plus the of the discarded card.
If the Stormcaller defeats this stage, Captain Sah铆r has gotten away with the key, and the players lose the game.
With your fleet too far to assist, you must help the Corsairs defend the Stormcaller from destruction, or else you will surely join them in the bottom of the ocean.
When Revealed: Discard cards from the top of the encounter deck until X Tentacle enemies are discarded, where X is 1 more than the number of players in the game. Resolve the Grapple keyword on each of those enemies.
During the travel phase, the players may travel to a location in the staging area even if another location is currently active. If they do, return the currently active location to the staging area.
At the end of the round, if the total of any one Ship location is 9 or higher, the Stormcaller is destroyed, and the players lose the game.
When Thing in the Depths is destroyed, the players win the game.
You have escaped from Umbar and thrown off your pursuers by fleeing into the desert, but many barren miles lie between you and the other side. To turn back is to walk into the arms of the Haradrim, so you set out on a dangerous desert crossing.
Setup: Each player searches the encounter deck for a copy of Burnt Sands and adds it to the staging area. Shuffle the encounter deck. Place the heat tracker next to the quest deck and set the temperature to 10.
As the sun climbs into the sky, you can feel the rising heat begin to take its toll on you...
Forced: After an ally enters play, either exhaust it, or deal 1 damage to it.
Forced: At the end of the round, increase the temperature by 4.
If the temperature is 60 or higher, the players lose the game.
You trudge across the barren desert with the blazing sun overhead and deadly creatures underfoot, but nothing is more dangerous to you than your lack of water.
When Revealed: Increase the temperature by 2. Shuffle the encounter discard pile into the encounter deck and reveal 1 encounter card per player.
If you cannot make it across the desert soon, you are certain to die of thrist...
Forced: At the end of the round, increase the temperature by 4. Then, each player assigns X damage among characters he controls, where X is the tens digit of the temperature.
If the temperature is 60 or higher, the players lose the game.
You have wandered through the trackless desert and discovered the legendary nesting grounds of the wild Were–worms. The beasts rear up and circle to attack. You must drive them off or meet your end upon the desert sands.
When Revealed: Increase the temperature by 2. Each player searches the encounter deck, discard pile, and victory display for a Were-worm and adds it to the staging area, if able. Shuffle the encounter deck.
During the quest phase, add X to the total in the staging area, where X is the tens digit of the temperature.
Forced: At the end of the round, increase the temperature by 4.
While at least 1 Were-worm is in play, the players cannot defeat this stage. If the players defeat this stage, they win the game. If the temperature is 60 or higher, the players lose the game.
The Wargs have caught the scent and they race north with the Orc riders on their backs.
When Revealed: If the players have already defeated stage 2B, discard cards from the top of the encounter deck until an Orc enemy is discarded. Add that enemy to the Orc's area.
While the players are at stage 3B, Uruk Chieftain cannot leave the Orc's area.
Forced: At the end of the quest phase, return Uruk Chieftain to the Orc's area and discard the top card of the encounter deck. Place X progress on this stage, where X is the discarded card's plus the total in the Orc's area.
If you are at stage 2B when this stage is defeated, you lose the game.
The Orcs and their mounts move with great speed across the sandy waste. They can smell their prey on the air as they narrow the distance between them.
When Revealed: If the players have already defeated stage 3B, discard cards from the top of the encounter deck until an Orc enemy is discarded. Add that enemy to the Orc's area.
While the players are at stage 4B, Uruk Chieftain cannot leave the Orc's area and each enemy at this stage gets +1
Forced: At the end of the quest phase, return Uruk Chieftain to the Orc's area and discard the top card of the encounter deck. Place X progress on this stage, where X is the total of the discarded card plus the total in the Orc's area.
If you are at stage 3B when this stage is defeated, you lose the game.
The Harnen cuts a line across the horizon and the Wargs race to reach its shore ahead of their prey. Their Orc riders urge them on with shouts and savage kicks. If they let their quarry cross the river, they will not be able to pursue, so they set a frenzied pace and tear across the sand.
Uruk Chieftain cannot take damage while River Harnen is in the staging area.
Forced: At the end of the quest phase, discard the top card of the encounter deck. Place X progress on this stage, where X is the discarded card's plus the total of each engaged enemy.
If the Orcs defeat this stage, the Orcs have caught you and you lose the game.
You suspected Urdug would betray you once you gathered the things he required, so you're not surprised when he and Tiny try to sneak away in the night. Urdug hisses at Tiny to keep quiet, but the lumbering Troll is about as subtle as a thunder storm. You grab your weapons and chase after them.
When Revealed: The first player loses control of both Urdug and Tiny, flips them to their enemy sides, and adds them to the staging area. (Remove any damage that was one them.) Each other player reveals an encounter card.
Progress cannot be placed on this quest from questing successfully.
Forced: When the players quest unsuccessfully, they do not raise their threat. Instead, place X progress here, where X is the amount by which they would have raised their threat. Then, if this stage has progress equal to its quest points, the player lose the game.
When Urdug has no hit points remaining, the players win the game.
The Woodmen of Hrogar's Hill have agreed to help you in your quest, but shortly after they welcome you to their town it is attacked by the very Dragon you seek: Dagnir has come to take vengeance on Wilderland!
Setup: Search the encounter deck for all 8 encounter side quests, shuffle them together, and place them facedown next to the quest deck. This is the side quest deck. The first player adds Dagnir to the staging area and shuffles the encounter deck. Each other player reveals an encounter card.
Forced: At the end of the planning phase, reveal the top card of the side quest deck and add it to the staging area. Dagnir makes an attack against Hrogar's Hill. Do not deal a shadow card for this attack. The first player may declare a defender for this attack. Excess damage must be dealt to Hrogar's Hill.
This stage cannot be defeated while Dagnir has hit points remaining. If Dagnir has no hit points remaining, the players win the game. If this stage has damage equal to its quest points, the players lose the game.
Urdug commits the last of his reserves to the attack. Weary as you are from fighting so long, you reel at this fresh assault.
When Revealed: Shuffle the encounter discard pile into the encounter deck and discard cards from the top until X enemies are discarded, where X is the number of players in the game. Add those enemies to the staging area.
Your saga through Rhovanion has reached its final test. If you fail, the Goblins of Gundabad will reestablish themseleves as a threat to the North and all your achievements will be for naught. The fate of Wilderland is in your hands.
Forced: At the end of the round, place 1 progress on the Goblins' Assault for each enemy in play. Then, if there is X or more progress on The Goblins' Assault, the players lose the game. X is equal to 8, plus 8 per player.
Then there was a crash and a flash of flame and smoke. The waters of the Deeping–stream poured out hissing and foaming: they were choked no longer, a gaping hole was blasted in the wall. A host of dark shapes poured in. –The Two Towers
When Revealed: Shuffle the encounter discard pile into the encounter deck. Discard cards from the encounter deck until X enemies are discarded. X is the number of players. Add each enemy discarded this way to the staging area.
Forced: After a character is destroyed, place 1 progress on this stage (bypassing any active location).
If this stage is defeated, the players lose the game.
Over the wall and under the wall the last assault came sweeping like a dark wave upon a hill of sand. –The Two Towers
He was come to the heart of the realm of Sauron and the forges of his ancient might, greatest in Middle–earth; all other powers were here subdued.
–The Return of the King
When Revealed: Shuffle the encounter discard pile into the encounter deck and discard cards from the top until X enemies are discarded, where X is the number of players. Add each enemy discarded this way to the staging area.
Dire. Allies cannot enter play and 'when revealed' effects cannot be canceled.
Forced: When Mount Doom is explored, the first player makes a Fortitude test. Discard 1 extra encounter card for each player. If the first player fails this test, the Ring-bearer claims The One Ring and the players lose the game. If the test is successful, the Ring-bearer completes the quest and the players win the game.
Your spirits rise as you are drawing near to the East Gate of Moria. But then a huge, dark shape rises in front of you and bursts into flames: a Balrog! Durin's Bane blocks your escape.
When Revealed: Add the set-aside Durin's Bane to the staging area. It cannot take damage this round. If there is more than 1 player, it makes an immediate attack against the first player.
No more than 5 progress can be placed here each round.
Forced: At the beginning of the quest phase, Durin's Bane makes an attack against the first player. Any undefended or excess damage dealt by this attack must be placed here.
If this stage has damage on it equal to or greater than its quest points, the players lose the game. If this stage is defeated the players win the game.