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
As dawn breaks in the East, a blast from Helm's Horn echoes in the valley and the Riders of Rohan charge out from Helm's Gate with King Théoden and Aragorn at their head.
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.
Skip the quest phase. Players cannot reduce their threat.
If there are no enemies in play, the players win the game.
With a cry and a great noise they charged. Down from the gates they roared, over the causeway they swept, and they drove through the hosts of Isengard as a wind among grass. –The Two Towers
Add 1 to the total 
in the staging area for each resource token here.
Forced: At the end of the quest phase, place 1 resource token here.
If there are 8 resource tokens here, add The
of Helm's Deep to the victory display and advance to stage 5A.
3
2
3
Forced: After Wild Hillman attacks, place 1 progress on the active location.
Shadow: Place 1 progress on the active location. Attacking enemy gets +1 for each progress on the active location.
5
1
5
When Revealed: Warrior of Dunland makes an immediate attack against you.
Forced: After Warrior of Dunland attacks and destroys a character, place 3 progress on the active location.
4
1
4
Forced: After Soldier of Isengard attacks and destroys a character, place 1 progress on the current quest.
Shadow: Exhaust a character you control.
While The Hornburg is the active location, reduce the archery total by 1 for each player in the game.
Forced: When The Hornburg is explored, assign X damage among characters in play. X is the number of enemies in play.
But the Hornburg still held fast, like an island in the sea. –The Two Towers
While Deeping Wall is the active location, each hero gets +1
Forced: When Deeping Wall is explored, raise each player's threat by 4.
The Deeping Wall was twenty feet high, and so thick that four men could walk abreast along the top, sheltered by a parapet over which only a tall man could look. –The Two Towers
X is the 1 more than the number of allies controlled by the first player.
Forced: When Deeping Culvert is explored, each player searches the encounter deck and discard pile for an enemy, reveals it, and adds it to the staging area. Shuffle the encounter deck.
Orcs had crept like rats through the culvert through which the stream flowed out. –The Two Towers
While Postern Door is the active location, each hero gets +1
Forced: When Postern Door is explored, until the end of the round, players cannot declare attacks.
There was a small postern–door that opened in an angle of the burg–wall on the west, where the cliff stretched out to meet it. –The Two Towers
While Helm's Gate is the active location, if any player is not engaged with an enemy, the first player reveals an encounter card at the end of each staging step.
Forced: When Helm's Gate is explored, each enemy gets -20 engagement cost and +2 until the end of the round.
When Revealed: Attach to the active location. (Counts a Siege attachment with the text: "Each enemy gets +1
Shadow: Attacking enemy gets +1 If this attack destroys a character, place 1 progress on the current quest.
When Revealed: Place 3 progress on the main quest (bypassing any active location). Until the end of the round, treat each character's text box as if it was blank (except for Traits).
Shadow: Attacking enemy gets +2 and gains Toughness 2 until the end of the round.
When Revealed: The enemy in the staging area with the highest makes an immediate attack against you. If no attack is made this way, Reckless Hate gains surge.
Shadow: Attacking enemy makes an additional attack against you after this one.
Poisoned Counsels functions like a player card.
Forced: After you draw this card, discard all other cards in your hand.
"And ever Wormtongue's whispering was in your ears, poisoning your thought, chilling your heart, weakening your limbs..." –Gandalf, The Two Towers
You are playing campaign mode.
Setup: Shuffle Saruman's Voice into the encounter deck. Remove each burden with these burden set icons from the encounter deck:
A Shadow of the Past, Flight to the Ford, The Ring Goes South
"Only lately did I guess that Saruman was to blame, and that long ago he had been spying out all the ways, and discovering my secrets. He and his folk are making havoc now." –Treebeard, The Two Towers
Resolution: If any player has 3 or fewer cards in his hand, the players have earned the Saruman's Voice burden card. If any player has 3 or more cards in his hand, the first player has earned the PalantĂr of Orthanc boon card. Add the earned cards to the Campaign Pool.
"You have become a fool, Saruman, and yet pitiable. You might still have turned away from folly and evil, and have been of service. But you choose to stay and gnaw the ends of your old plots. Stay then! But I warn you, you will not easily come out again. Not unless the dark hands of the East stretch out to take you."
–Gandalf, The Two Towers
Saruman's army has been defeated at Helm's Deep, but the Wizard's fortress is beyond Rohan's power to capture. However, the Ents of Fangorn have also suffered great injury because of Saruman and his Orcs. They have the strength to break Isengard, but only if they can be roused to attack.
Setup: Set Gates of Isengard Orthanc, Saruman, and Saruman's Staff aside, out of play. Add each copy of Ent of Fangorn to the staging area. Shuffle the encounter deck.
Players cannot draw cards or gain resources. Do not commit to the quest or reveal encounter cards during the quest phase.
Forced: At the end of the round, place 1 resource here. Then, the players may advance to stage 2. If the players advance, the first player shuffle the encounter discard pile into the encounter deck and reveals 1 encounter card for each resource here. Then, remove each Ent objective in the staging area from the game.
"To Isengard! Though Isengard be ringed and barred with doors of stone;
Though Isengard be strong and hard, as cold as stone and bare as bone,
We go, we go, we go to war, to hew the stone and break the door;
For bole and bough are burning now, the furnace roars – we go to war!"
–The Ents, The Two Towers
When Revealed: Make Gates of Isengard the active location. Add Saruman and Orthanc to the staging area.
The players cannot travel to Orthanc.
Forced: After a non-unique location is explored, place 1 damage here. Then, if there are 5 damage tokens here, advance to stage 3A.
Quest Action: Exhaust Ent of Fangorn to place 2 progress on a non-unique location.
The power of Saruman must be broken and the fortress of Isengard destroyed!
Suddenly another voice spoke, low and melodious, its very sound an enchantment. Those who listened unwarily to that voice could seldom report the words that they heard... –The Two Towers
When Revealed: Each player draws 6 cards. Each player with more than 6 cards in his hand discards cards from his hand until he has only 6. Attach Saruman's Staff to Saruman.
While Orthanc is the active location, Saruman is considered to be engaged with the first player.
Forced: When Orthanc is explored, cancel any progress placed on the quest this phase and return Orthanc to the staging area.
If a player has 0 cards in his hand, he is eliminated from the game. If the players defeat this stage, they win the game.
4
3
4
While Ent of Fangorn is in the staging area, it gains: "QuestAction: Exhaust a hero you control to discard the top card of the encounter deck. If that hero's is greater than the discarded card's place 1 resource here. Then, if there are 3 resources here, discard them to take control of Ent of Fangorn. Any player may trigger this effect."
6
4
6
Indestructible.Immune to player card effects. Cannot leave the staging area.
Forced: When Saruman is dealt a shadow card with a Wizardry effect, the defending player resolves that Wizardry effect as if he is the only player in the game.
Forced: After a player draws any number of cards, Saruman attacks that player. Deal and resolve 2 shadow cards for this attack. Then, remove 1 damage from Saruman.
While Saruman has any hit points remaining, the players cannot win the game.
4
3
5
Forced: After Lieutenant of Orthanc attacks and destroys a character, that character's controller discards 1 random card from his hand.
"Saruman kept enough wisdom not to trust his Orcs. He had Men to guard his gates..." –Merry, The Two Towers
2
1
3
When Revealed: Either discard 1 random card from your hand, or reveal an encounter card.
Shadow: Until the end of the round, attacking enemy gets +2
3
1
4
Forced: When Wolf of Isengard is dealt a shadow card with a Wizardry effect, either discard 1 card from your hand, or Wolf of Isengard makes an additional attack against you after this one.
Shadow: Deal 1 damage to the defending character.
Immune to player card effects.
While Orthanc is in the staging area, it gains:"Forced: After the players quest successfully, the first player looks at the top 3 cards of the encounter deck, reveals 1, and discards the others."
Still dark and tall, unbroken by the storm, the tower of Orthanc stood. –The Two Towers
Immune to player card effects.
Forced: When the Gates of Isengard is explored, each player searches the encounter deck and discard pile for an enemy and puts it into play engaged with him. Shuffle the encounter deck.
Here through the black rock a long tunnel had been hewn, close at either end with mighty doors of iron. –The Two Towers
While Ring-wall of Isengard is in the staging area, it gains:"Forced: After any amount of damage is healed from a character, its owner discards 1 card from his hand."
Wizardry: Each player discards 1 random card from his hand.
While Underground Armoury is in the staging area, it gains:"Forced: After an enemy engages a player, deal it a shadow card."
Wizardry: Each player exhausts a character he controls.
The shafts ran down by many slopes and spiral stairs to caverns far under; there Saruman had treasuries, store–houses, armouries, smithies, and great furnaces. –The Two Towers
While Steaming Vent is in the staging area, it gains:"Forced: After a player commits characters to the quest, he deals 1 damage to a questing character he controls."
Wizardry: Assign X damage among characters in play. X is 1 more than the number of players in the game.
X is the number of players in the game.
While Plain of Isengard is in the staging area, archery damage must be assigned to allies, if able.
Wizardry: Each player discards 1 ally he controls.
While Open Pit is in the staging area, it gains:"Forced: After a player draws any number of cards from a player card effect, he raises his threat by 2."
Wizardry: Each player raises his threat by 2.
When Revealed: Assign X damage among characters committed to the quest. X is one more than the number of players in the game.
Shadow: Attacking enemy gets +1 (+2 instead if the defending player has 1 or fewer cards in his hand).
When Revealed: Exhaust each damaged character. Until the end of the combat phase, treat each damaged character's text box as if it were blank (except for Traits).
Shadow: Discard a non-objective attachment you control.
When Revealed: Trigger the Wizardry effect on the active location. If no Wizardry effect is triggered this way, Machines of Isengard gains surge.
Shadow: Attacking enemy gets +1 If this attack destroys a character, discard 1 random card from your hand.
When Revealed: Remove a hero from the quest and attach Sarumanâs Voice to that hero. (Counts as a Condition attachment with the text:"Forced: When attached hero commits to a quest, is declared and attacker or defender, or triggers its ability, its controller must discard 1 card from his hand.")
Attach to
Aragorn.
Quest Action: Exhaust Aragorn and PalantĂr of Orthanc to discard the top card of the encounter deck. If Aragorn's is greater than the discarded card's you may add PalantĂr of Orthanc to the victory display and remove it from the campaign pool to choose a player. That player reveals 1 fewer encounter card this phase (to a minimum of 0).
You are playing campaign mode.
Setup: Each player may change hero cards he controls without incurring the +1 threat penalty. Each player shuffles 1 copy of The Searching Eye into his deck. Remove each burden with the following burden set icons from the encounter deck and each player's deck: Helm's Deep, The Road to Isengard
"It's that Gollum! Snakes and adders! And to think that I thought that we'd puzzle him with our bit of a climb! Look at him! Like a nasty crawling spider on a wall." -Sam Gamgee, The Two Towers
Resolution: Each player must choose: either take a permanent +2 starting threat penalty, or earn 1 copy of The Searching Eye. Record each player's choice in the campaign log.
The marshes were at an end, dying away into dead peats and wide flats of dry cracked mud. The land ahead rose in long shallow slopes, barren and pitiless, towards the desert that lay at Sauron's gate.
–The Two Towers
Frodo and Sam left the Fellowship above the falls of Rauros and crossed the great river to climb the Emyn Muil upon the Eastern shore. After days of wandering through that maze of rocky crags, they have finally reached the edge of the Dead Marshes only to discover that Gollum is following them.
Setup: Put Gollum into play engaged with the first player. Each player searches the encounter deck for 1 location, reveals it, and adds it to the staging area. Shuffle the encounter deck.
The players cannot advance unless the first player controls Sméagol.
Forced: After a player declares any number of attackers against Gollum discard the top card of the encounter deck. Gollum gets +X for this attack, where X is the discarded cardâs
Things would have gone ill with Sam, if he had been alone. But Frodo sprang up, and drew Sting from its sheath. âThe Two Towers
The Hobbits soon found that what had looked like one vast fen was really an endless network of pools, and soft mires, and winding half–strangled watercourses. Among these a cunning eye and foot could thread a wandering path. -The Two Towers
When Revealed: If the number of locations in the staging area is less than the number of players in the game, discard cards from the encounter deck until a location is discarded. Add the discarded location to the staging area.
Progress cannot be placed on locations in the staging area.
The players cannot advance unless the first player controls Sméagol and there are at least 4 locations in the victory display.
Forced: At the end of the staging step, if the number of locations in the staging area is less than the number of players in the game, reveal the top card of the encounter deck.
For a moment the water below him looked like some window, glazed with grimy glass, through which he was peering. Wrenching his hands out of the bog, he sprang back with a cry. "There are dead things, dead faces in the water," he said with horror. -The Two Towers
When Revealed: Each player searches the encounter deck and discard pile for an Undeadenemy and puts it into play engaged with him. Shuffle all locations in the victory display into the encounter deck.
While any player is engaged with an Undead enemy, progress cannot be placed on this stage.
The players cannot defeat this stage unless the first player controls Sméagol. If the players defeat this stage, they win the game.
Gollum laughed. "The Dead Marshes, yes, yes: that is their names," he cackled. "You should not look in when the candles are lit." âThe Two Towers
3
1
4
The engaged player cannot reduce his threat.
Forced: After Groping Dead attacks and destroys a character, place 1 mire token on the active location.
Shadow: If this attack destroys a character, place 1 mire token on the active location.
4
2
5
The engaged player cannot reduce his threat.
Forced: After Dead Things attacks and destroys a character, the defending player raises his threat by 3.
Shadow: Raise your threat by 1 for each Undead enemy engaged with you.
5
2
6
The engaged player cannot reduce his threat.
Forced: After Candle-bearer attacks and destroys a character, it cannot take damage until the end of the round.
Shadow: Until the end of the round, attacking enemy cannot take damage.
Mire 2. Forced: When Haunted Mere is discarded by the Mire keyword, search the encounter deck and discard pile for an Undead enemy, reveal it, and add it to the staging area. Shuffle the encounter deck.
Travel: Exhaust Smeagol to travel here.
"They lie in all the pools, pale faces, deep deep under the dark water." -Frodo, The Two Towers
Mire 5. Forced: When Stagnant Pools is discarded by the Mire keyword, raise each player's threat by 5.
Stagnant Pools gets +1 for each mire token on it.
Travel: Exhaust Smeagol to travel here.
Mists curled and smoked from dark and noisome pools. The reek of them hung stifling in the still air. -The Two Towers