The trail winds into one of the darkest, most tangled parts of the forest...
You sense that foul, dark presence is hunting you, and you move quickly in an attempt to avoid its evil.
When Revealed: Each player must search the encounter deck and discard pile for 1 Spider card of his choice, and add it to the staging area.
The players must find and defeat Ungoliant's Spawn to win this game.
The shadows grow darker, and you realize that a foul presence is aiming to draw you from the path. You must defeat it to pass this way.
The Lady Galadriel of Lórien has asked you to investigate the area in the vicinity of Dol Guldar. While doing so, one of your allies was ambushed by Orcs, captured, and is now held in a dungeon cell...
Setup: Search the encounter deck for the 3 objective cards, reveal and place them in the staging area. Also, place the Nazgûl of Dol Guldur face up but out of play, alongside the quest deck. Then, shuffle the encounter deck, and attach 1 encounter to each objective card.
When Revealed: Randomly select 1 hero card (among all the heroes controlled by the players) and turn it facedown. The hero is now considered a "prisoner", cannot be used, cannot be damaged, and does not collect resources, until it is "rescued" (as instructed by card effects) later in this quest.
The players, as a group, cannot play more than 1 ally card each round.
Players cannot advance to the next stage of this quest unless they have at least 1 objective card.
Finding a hidden entrance to the dungeons of Dol Guldur at last, you attempt to make your way through the caverns beneath the hill, searching for your imprisoned friend. The denizens of this labyrinth stand in your way, while the jailors protect the prisoner.
Response: After placing any number of progress tokens on this card, flip the "prisoner" hero card face-up, and place 1 damage toke on it. The hero has been "rescued" and may now be used by its controller.
The players, as a group, cannot play more than 1 ally card each round.
Players cannot advance to the next stage of the quest unless they have rescued the prisoner and have all 3 "Escape from Dol Guldur" objective cards.
When Revealed: Reveal 2 encounter cards per player, and add them to the staging area.
Skip the staging step of the quest phase for the remainder of the game.
Once there are no enemies in play, the players have won the game.
The ongoing harassment from your enemies has forced your raft to the shore, and you must now confront their ambush head on. If you survive this attack, your path to the Golden Wood should be open before you...
As you search the caves of Nibin–D–m you are ambushed by Goblins!
When Revealed: Add Goblin Chieftain to the staging area. Each player searches the encounter deck and discard pile for a different enemy of his choice and adds it to the staging area. Shuffle the encounter deck.
The Goblins are led by a large chieftain who whips them into a frenzy. His soldiers attack you with reckless savagery and you struggle to gain the upper hand.
During the encounter phase, treat each enemy's engagement cost as if it were 0.
The stage gets +4 quest points for each enemy in play.
The Goblins retreat down a dark tunnel, and you chase them into a large hall of many pillars. A wide chasm runs the width of the hall and the Goblins race across on a large plank. Their chieftain casts the plan into the depths of the chasm and disappeats, leaving you stranded on the other side.
When Revealed: Set Goblin Chieftain aside, out of play. Add Cracked Pillar to the staging area.
As you search for a way across, you see that one tall pillar near the edge of the chasm has cracked where it meets the ceiling. If you topple the pillar, it could serve to bridge the gap.
Forced: Reveal an additional encounter card during the quest phase.
Progress cannot be placed on Cracked Pillar while it is in the staging area.
After Cracked Pillar leaves play as an explored location, advance to stage 4A.
The trail winds into one of the darkest, most tangled parts of the forest...
You sense that foul, dark presence is hunting you, and you move quickly in an attempt to avoid its evil.
When Revealed: Each player must search the encounter deck and discard pile for 1 Spider card of his choice, and add it to the staging area.
The players must find and defeat Ungoliant's Spawn to win this game.
The shadows grow darker, and you realize that a foul presence is aiming to draw you from the path. You must defeat it to pass this way.
The Lady Galadriel of Lórien has asked you to investigate the area in the vicinity of Dol Guldar. While doing so, one of your allies was ambushed by Orcs, captured, and is now held in a dungeon cell...
Setup: Search the encounter deck for the 3 objective cards, reveal and place them in the staging area. Also, place the Nazgûl of Dol Guldur face up but out of play, alongside the quest deck. Then, shuffle the encounter deck, and attach 1 encounter to each objective card.
When Revealed: Randomly select 1 hero card (among all the heroes controlled by the players) and turn it facedown. The hero is now considered a "prisoner", cannot be used, cannot be damaged, and does not collect resources, until it is "rescued" (as instructed by card effects) later in this quest.
The players, as a group, cannot play more than 1 ally card each round.
Players cannot advance to the next stage of this quest unless they have at least 1 objective card.
Finding a hidden entrance to the dungeons of Dol Guldur at last, you attempt to make your way through the caverns beneath the hill, searching for your imprisoned friend. The denizens of this labyrinth stand in your way, while the jailors protect the prisoner.
Response: After placing any number of progress tokens on this card, flip the "prisoner" hero card face-up, and place 1 damage toke on it. The hero has been "rescued" and may now be used by its controller.
The players, as a group, cannot play more than 1 ally card each round.
Players cannot advance to the next stage of the quest unless they have rescued the prisoner and have all 3 "Escape from Dol Guldur" objective cards.
When Revealed: Reveal 2 encounter cards per player, and add them to the staging area.
Skip the staging step of the quest phase for the remainder of the game.
Once there are no enemies in play, the players have won the game.
The ongoing harassment from your enemies has forced your raft to the shore, and you must now confront their ambush head on. If you survive this attack, your path to the Golden Wood should be open before you...
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.
Setup: Search the encounter deck for East-gate and Cave Torch. Put East-gate into play as the active location, and have the first player attach Cave Torch to a hero of his choice. Set First Hall and Bridge of Khazad-dûm aside, out of play. Shuffle the encounter deck.
You have been sent by the White Council to Moria, to deliver a message to Balin and his Dwarven colony. No one has heard from him in a while.
When Revealed: Reveal 1 encounter card per player, and add it to the staging area.
Player cannot advance to the next stage of the scenario unless Bridge of Khazad-dûm is in their victory display.
The doors of the East–gate hang crooked on their henges. The darkness inside the doorway is still and impenetrable, shutting out the last beams of a sinking sun.
With a groan the ground crumbles under your feet, the entire section of the tunnel giving way to a deep darkness and the rush of water. There is a feeling of weightlessness, followed by the icy wet clutches of an underground river.
When Revealed: Discard all Item, Armor, Weapon and Light cards and all encounter deck cards from play, Shuffle all enemy and treachery cards in the encounter discard pile together with the Foundations of Stone encounter set. This deck becomes the new encounter deck. Remove all other encounter deck cards from the game. Then, starting with the first player, each player draws a random stage 4 quest card. Remove all other stage 4 quest cards from the game.
Riding north to the Gap of Rohan, you come upon a battle at the Fords of Isen. A Small number of Rohirrim have taken a defensive position, on the islet in the river's center where a large force of wild Dunlending assails them. You must move swifty lest the river run red with blood of Rohan...
Setup: Add The Islet to the staging area and attach Gríma to that location. Each player searches the encounter deck for 1 different Dunland enemy and adds it to the staging area. Shuffle the encounter deck.
You've captured the Orc captain, Mugash, in the mountains above Isengard. But as you make your way down Methedras, your captive escaped and flees east into Fangorn.
Setup: Add Edge of Fangorn to the staging area and attach Mugash to that location. Shuffle the encounter deck. Reveal X additional encounter cards where X equals the number of players in the game minus 1.
Forced: After the last time counter is removed from this stage, shuffle Mugash into the encounter deck and advance to stage 3.
The players cannot advance to stage 2 unless Mugash is attached to a hero.
You pursue Mugash into the ancient forest to find that the trees themselves seems to be attacking him. Without thinking, your at the tree branches to rescue your captive. That is when you first sense your own peril...
Setup: The first player takes control of Nalir. Set the Ancient Marsh-dweller aside, out of play. Each player searches the encounter deck for a different location and adds it to the staging area. Shuffle the encounter deck.
You've entered the vast marshlands of the Nin–in–Eilph with Nalir in order to escape Bellach and his Orcs. Now, you must cross the swamp in order to reach Hollin on the other side.
When Revealed: Advance to a random stage 2A.
No traveller has entered the Nîn–in–Eilph for an age and there is no path through the shifting marshland. You must find your own way across the treacherous bog.
Setup: Add Bellach, The Orcs’ Search, and The Secret Chamber to the staging area. Attach Celebrimbor’s Mould to The Secret Chamber. Each player adds a different Ost-in-Edhil location to the staging area. Shuffle the encounter deck.
You have finally reached the ruins of Ost–in–Edhil, but Bellach and his Orcs have arrived before you. They appear to be searching for the hidden chamber. If you want to reach it first, you will have to move quickly and carefully...
Forced: After the last time counter is removed from this stage, trigger each Scour effect currently in play. Place 3 time counters on this stage.
Bellach is immune to player card effects and cannot be engaged.
The players cannot advance unless Celebrimbor’s Mould is attached to a hero.
You've pursued the remnants of an Orc war party east from the borders of Bree–land and into the wilderness beyond. Their trail climbs out of the lowlands and into the Weather Hills.
Setup: Set Orc Ambush and Amon Forn aside, out of play. Create the Orc deck (see insert) and set it next to the quest deck. Make Exposed Ridge the active location. Add Hunting the Orcs and 1 Weather Hilltop to the staging area. Shuffle the encounter deck.
As you pursue the Orcs, the weather itself turns against you. Now you must contend with the elements while you hunt the enemy.
The first Weather treachery card revealed each round gains Surge.surge.
Forced: After the active location is explored, reveal the top card of the Orc deck and resolve it as if it was just revealed from the encounter deck (reveal the top 2 cards instead if there are 3 or more players in the game).
You have been captured and imprisoned by the goblins of Mount Gram.
Setup: Each player shuffles his starting hand into his deck. Each player prepares a separate captured deck (see insert). Each player adds 2 resources to his starting hero and sets his threat to that hero's threat cost. Set Southern Gate, Jailor Gornákh and the Angmar Orcs encounter set aside, out of play. Shuffle the encounter deck. Each player draws a new starting hand of 3 cards.
You have endured much during your imprisonment in Mount Gram at the hands of a cruel goblin known as Gornákh. But before you are taken north as prizes for "Lord Daechanar," Amarthiúl comes to your rescue. After he frees you, he slips off to find Iârion, whom you suspect is imprisoned nearby. Armed with only your wits and resolve, you must find the rest of your company.
When Revealed: Each player creates his own staging area and advances to a different stage 2A.
Alone and without your equipment, you steel yourself and being to search for your companions and belongings.
When Revealed: Search the encounter deck for 1 copy of Prison Cell, reveal it, and add it to your staging area. Then capture an additional 2 cards from the top of your captured deck underneath that copy of Prison Cell.
Any time players would place progress on this quest, resuce an equal number of captured cards at random from underneath it instead. (Progress is placed on the active location before triggering this effect.)
Forced: If there are no captured cards underneath Gornákh's Dungeons, join another player at the beginning of the travel phase. If you cannot join another player, all players advance to stage 3A together.
You have decided to explore the ruins of this ancient keep, but Thaurdir pursues you, and time is of the essence.
Setup: Make The Great Hall the active location. Set Thaurdir aside, out of play. Add the 3 Treachery of Rhudaur side quests to the staging area, quest side faceup. Search the encounter deck for 1 copy of Ancient Causeway, and add it to the staging area (2 copies instead if there are 3 or 4 players in the game). The first player gains control of Amarthiúl.
Time 5. Forced After the last time counter is removed from Secrets of Rhudaur, remove each Treachery of Rhudaur side quests from the game and immediately advance to stage_2.
During the quest phase, Secrets of Rhudaur cannot be chosen as the current quest.
If there are no Treachery of Rhudaur side quests in play, immediately advance to stage_2.
A final scream fills the dreadful halls of Carn Dûm, and you suspect the worst. As you enter the site of Daechanar's dark ritual, your fears come to life. Iârion stands before you, cracking his neck and gripping the blade at his side tightly, as though testing his muscles. Only it isn't him.
When Revealed: Add Daechanar to the staging area. Make Altar of Midwinter the active location, returning any previously active location to the staging area. Each player reanimates the top card of his deck.
Daechanar, in the body of your ally Iârion, laughs wickedly. Despair and frustration are the only thoughts that enter your mind. In the end, you were too late to stop this cruel fate. "Finally! Yes, this body will do nicely." the wraith wearing the guise of your friend muses. He draws his blade.
Reanimated Dead are Undead enemies with 2 
, 2 
, 2 
and 2 hit points.
When Daechanar is defeated, advance to the next stage.
The imposter in Iârion's body collapses in agony, and a piercing shriek echoes the halls as the sorcerer exits Iârion. "Thank you," Iârion says with a pained smile before his eyes close for the last time. Before you can mourn your loss, the walls begin to shake and crack. The catacombs are collapsing!
When Revealed: If there are less than X locations in the staging area, search the encounter deck and discard pile and add locations to the staging area until there are X locations in staging area. X is the number of players in the game.
Reanimated Dead are Undead enemies with 2 , 2 , 2 and 2 hit points.
Progress that would be placed on this quest is instead placed on locations in the staging area, divided as you choose.
Forced: At the end of the quest phase, if there are any locations in play, deal 1 damage to all characters in play. If there are no locations in play, the players have escaped Carn Dûm, and win the game.
Markings on Adûnaic suggest the existence of a grand shrine somewhere on the island. Perhaps there, you will find answers.
When Revealed: Add 2 copies of Lost Island from the top of the Uncharted deck to the staging area. Add Shrine to Morgoth to the staging area, Lost Island side faceup. Remove all progress from each Uncharted location in the staging area and shuffle them so that the players do not know which one is which.
You search for the shrine, unsure of its exact location...
Forced: After a location is explored, if it would be shuffled into the Uncharted deck, add it to the victory display instead.
The players cannot defeat this stage unless Shrine to Morgoth is in the victory display. When Shrine to Morgoth is added to the victory display, the players win the game.
A menacing ship leads the raiders, its charismatic captain bellowing orders to the Corsairs: ”Kill the defenders!” he shouts. ”Destroy their ships!”
When Revealed: Add Na’asiyah and Captain Sahír to the staging area, enemy side faceup. Each player reveals the top card of the encounter deck. Place resources on Na’asiyah and Captain Sahír equal to the amount of damage on the Dream-chaser. Add 1 resource to each other Raider enemy in play.
Any time players would place progress on this quest, remove an equal amount of damage from locations in play instead. (Progress is placed on the active location before triggering this effect.)
Each Raider enemy revealed by the encounter deck enters play with 1 resource on it.
If Captain Sahír is in the victory display and each location in play has no damage, the players win the game.
Sahír and Na'asiyah prove to be worthy adversaries, but before you can finish the fight, the entire ship starts to shudder and shake violently. The battle stops as both parties look about, startled. All of a sudden, tentacle arms burst forth from all around the Stormcaller, grabbing a hold of the deck and the masts, punching through the hull of the ship. Deadly, spiked arms lash about at friend and foe alike, and the entire ship creaks, slowly crushed by the arms of a giant sea–beast. The Corsairs lock eyes with you, and you nod in a silent truce.
When Revealed: Flip Captain Sahír and Na'asiyah to their objective sides, removing all tokens from them. Search the encounter deck, discard pile and all play areas for each encounter card from the Corsair Raiders encounter set and remove each of those cards from the game. Add The Thing in the Depths to the staging area. Shuffle the encounter discard pile and the set aside The Thing in the Depths encounter set into the encounter deck. Advance to stage 3.
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.
In the sunken ruins of the temple, you find a grotto leading deep below the sea level. Much of the grotto is submerged underwater.
Setup: Set Shrine to Morgoth aside, out of play. Prepare the Grotto deck. Add the top 2 locations from the Grotto deck to the staging area, Grotto side faceup (the top 3 instead if there are 3 or more players in the game). The first player takes control of Captain Sahír, and the last player takes control of Na'asiyah (objective-ally sides faceup).
While an underwater location is the active location, players cannot play attachments or allies.
Forced: After a double-sided location is explored, add the top location from the Grotto deck to the staging area, Grotto side faceup.
You cannot advance unless there are at least 3 Underwater locations in the victory display.
The Corsair fleet seems to be attacking multiple key locations simultaneously. To stop the attack, you must defend Dol Amroth from the Corsair ships.
When Revealed: Search the encounter deck and discard pile for a Ship enemy and add it to the staging area (2 Ship enemies instead if there are 3 or 4 players in the game). Shuffle the encounter deck. For each unguarded objective in the staging area, attach a non-unique Ship enemy in the staging area to that objective, guarding it.
If your current heading is at the worst setting (Stormy), Raider Flagship gets -50 engagement cost.
You cannot advance while at least 1 objective is guarded by an encounter.
Suddenly, all of the beacons and lights along the watch–tower are snuffed as fog rolls in from the west. "Pull up the sails!" you hear, but it is too late. The Corsair ships turn at once, and the Dream–chaser smashes into the rocks. You are plunged into the cold waters, struggling to stay afloat.
When Revealed: Each player assigns damage among non-Ship characters he controls equal to the total damage on each Ship objective he controls. Discard all Ship enemies, Ship objective and Ocean locations in play.
Your ships have shattered upon the rocks. You barely manage to make it to shore.
When Revealed: Shuffle the Corsair deck and Corsair discard pile into the second encounter deck. Search the encounter deck and discard piule for each copy of Battle-hardened and each copy of Watch Tower, shuffle them into the second encounter deck. Set the current encounter deck and discard pil aside, inactive. The second encounter deck becomes the active encounter deck. Advance to stage 3.
You chase Sahír through the streets, eventually cornering him in the broken monument atop a hill overlooking the city. He grins as you confront him. "You're not easy to kill," he scoffs, and unsheaths a long dark blade.
When Revealed: Add The Shattered Monument to the staging area. Put Captain Sahír into play, engaged with the first player. Each player searches the encounter deck and discard pile for an enemy and adds it to the staging area. Shuffle the encounter deck. Add 1 resource to each Raider enemy in play.
Sahír cackles, a crazed look in his eyes. "With the power of this sword, I will rule the seas from here to the Grey Havens!"
While any enemy has resources on it, Captain Sahír is indestructible.
Forced: When a hero or enemy is destroyed, add its resources to Captain Sahír.
If Captain Sahír is destroyed, the players have finally put an end to the Corsair's treacherous plot and win the game.
A tribe of Haradrim has rescued you, but their village is attacked by Orcs!
Setup: Set Uruk Chieftain aside, out of play. Each player adds 1 copy of Sauron's Enforcers to the staging area. Move each hero to the staging area. Each player takes control of an objective-hero and adds 2 resources to its resource pool. Remove each remaining objective-hero from the game. For the remainder of the game, heroes in the staging area are in play but under no player's control, immune to player card effects, and their text boxes are considered to be blank.
Damage from undefended attacks must be dealt to a hero in the staging area, if able.
The first card each player plays each phase does not require a resource match.
Forced: After placing progress from questing successfully, each player chooses a hero he owns in the staging area and, takes control of that hero, and exhausts it. Advance to stage 2A.
After seeing his village destroyed by Sauron's Orcs, Kahliel has decided to travel north with you to Gondor. But it is a long road, and you will need mounts to ride. So your Haradrim allies have led you into the great jungle of Harad in search of the might Mumakil.
Setup: Set each copy of Wild Mûmak and each Capture objective aside, out of play. Each player adds 1 different location to the staging area. Shuffle the encounter deck.
The jungle is full of danger. The Haradrim warn you to stay alert lest the hunters become the hunted.
Forced: After the active location leaves play as an explored location, shuffle 1 set aside Wild Mûmak into the encounter deck.
The players cannot advance unless the number of Wild Mûmak in play is equal to the number of players.
Emerging from your hunt in the great jungle of the south, you set out across the vast desert of Harad on your long journey north to Gondor.
Setup: Set Ford of Harnen and 1 copy of Uruk Warg-rider aside, out of play. Each player takes control of a Tamed Mumak. Remove each remaining Tamed Mumak from the game. Create the Orc's area with a second quest deck consisting of stage 1C, 2C, 3C, and 4C as well as Uruk Chieftain.
Riding atop the Oliphaunts that you captured in the jungle, you set an easy pace.
When Revealed: Each player searches the encounter deck for 1 different location and adds it to the staging area. Shuffle the encounter deck. Advance to stage 2A.
You have escaped the dungeons of Cirith Gurat with the rescued members of Kahliel's tribe, but it's still a long way to Gondor.
Setup: Set Poros Garrison and each of the following encounter sets aside, out of play: Mountains of Shadow, Desert Sands, Desert Creatures, Harad Soldiers, and Mordor Orcs. The first player adds The Black Serpent to the staging area and shuffles the encounter deck. Each other player reveals an encounter card.
By now the Orcs will be searching for their escaped prisoners, and The Black Serpent will be seeking revenge against the outlaws who ambushed his caravan. You cannot hope to outrun your enemies with the exhausted refugees in your care, so you consult with Kahliel to decide the safest way north.
Allies enter play exhausted.
Forced: At the end of the planning phase, advance to a random stage 2.
After several days of traveling through Mirkwood, you awaken suddenly in the night to see dozens of hungry eyes glaring at you from the darkness.
Setup: Set the Spiders of Mirkwood and Dol Guldur Orcs encounter sets aside, out of play. The first player takes control of Haldan and adds Searching for a Way Out to the staging area. Each player adds 1 Forest Spider to the staging area. Shuffle the encounter deck.
There is a bitter fight not only to drive back the spiders but to avoid being separated in the pitch black. When the first light of dawn rises to reveal your surroundings, you see only endless trees and no sign of your path. You begin searching about for some type of landmark to point you in the right direction.
Each player's threat cannot be reduced by player card effect.
Forced: After an enemy engages a player, raise that player's threat by 1.
You've got a better idea of where you are, but you have unfortunately wandered too far north and into the territory of the giant spiders of Mirkwood.
When Revealed: Shuffle the Spiders of Mirkwood encounter set into the encounter deck. Then, reveal 1 encounter card per player.
You fight to keep the spiders at bay as you continue to search for landmarks or a better view of the forest to find your way out.
The first Spider enemy revealed each quest phase gains surge.
Forced: When a Spider enemy attacks and damages a character, that character cannot ready until the end of the round.
You've got a better idea of where you are, but you have unfortunately wandered too far south and into the territory of the Orcs of Dol Guldur.
When Revealed: Shuffle the Dol Guldur Orcs encounter set into the encounter deck. Then, reveal 1 encounter card per player.
You fight to keep the Orcs at bay as you continue to search for landmarks or a better view of the forest to find your way out.
The first Orc enemy revealed each quest phase gains surge.
Forced: When an Orc enemy attacks and damages a character, that character's controller chooses and discards 1 card from his hand.
As night falls some of your companions are carried off by unseen foes. You follow the sound of their cries in order to rescue them.
When Revealed: Each player chooses a hero he controls, discards each token and attachment from that hero, and places it in the staging area. Each player discards cards from the top of the encounter deck until an enemy is discarded and attaches that enemy to the hero he owns in the staging area, guarding it.
Each enemy guarding a hero cannot take non-combat damage. Each guarded hero is in play but under no player's control.
Forced: When an enemy guarding a hero is defeated, return that hero to its owner's control exhausted.
When the players advance from this stage, discard each guarded hero.
Exhaustion begins to take its toll as you stumble through the endless forest. Supplies grow sparse and you struggle to find anything that can help.
When Revealed: Each player discards cards from the top of the encounter deck until he discards a non-objective lcoation and adds it to the staging area. Each player places his hand of cards facedown under a different location in the staging area.
Each location gets +1 quest point for each facedown player card under it.
Forced: When a location with a facedown player card under it is explored, return each facedown player card under it to its owner's hand.
When the players advance from this stage, discard each facedown player card under a location.
You have tracked the beast that attacked the village on the border of Brand's realm to the mines beneath the Iron Hills. The Dwarves there have been driven from the lower depths by a new terror, and the mines have become a haunt for evil creatures.
Setup: Build the Caves deck (see insert) and set it next to the quest deck. Set Fire-drake, Dragon Hoard, and the Dragon Might encounter sets aside, out of play. Shuffle the encounter deck. Each player discards cards from the top of the encounter deck until he discards an enemy or location and adds that card to the staging area.
Forced: At the beginning of the quest phase, discard cards from the top of the encounter deck until a location is discarded. Either add that location to the staging area, or raise each player's threat by X, where X is that location's printed
This stage cannot be defeated unless there are 3 locations with victory points in the victory display.
A bright flame splits the darkness, and your fears are confirmed: it was a dragon you tracked from the village. The fire–drake chased the Dwarves from their mines, and you must search out its lair somewhere in the lower depths.
When Revealed: Place Dragon Hoard on the bottom of the Caves deck. Add Fire-drake to the staging area and shuffle the Dragon Might encounter set into the encounter deck.
Fire-drake cannot leave the staging area or take damage.
Response: After placing progress here from questing successfully, remove 5 progress from this stage to look at the top 2 cards of the Caves deck. Put one on top of the Caves deck and put the other on the bottom.
After The Dragon Hoard becomes the active location, advance to stage 3A.
The cavern around you trembles as the dragon roars and spews fire from its mouth. For a moment, the terrifying form of the beast is lit by red–orange flame and it all becomes clear to you: the huge fire–drake must be responsible for the upheaval you've encountered in Wilderland. The Iron Hills and the realm of Dale will not be safe until the dragon is dead.
When Revealed: Search the encounter deck and discard pile for a Dragon treachery and attach it to Fire-drake, if able. Shuffle the encounter deck.
Ignore the Deep keyword.
Forced: After a player declares X attackers against Fire-drake, he must remove X progress tokens from the main quest or cancel the attack.
This stage cannot be defeated while Fire-drake is in play. If Fire-drake is defeated, the players win the game.
At last you have cornered the injured Dragon. But with nowhere left to run, it attacks you with desperate fury. The men of Dale will make songs of this battle, if you survive to tell the story...
When Revealed: Add Cold-Drake to the staging area. It makes an immediate attack against each player in turn order. (Deal and resolve a shadow card for each attack.)
Cold-Drake cannot take more than X damage each round, where X is the number of Dragon Signs in the victory display.
Forced: At the beginning of the quest phase, return Cold-Drake to the staging area. It makes an immediate attack against each player in turn order.
This stage cannot be defeated while Cold-Drake is in play. When Cold-Drake is defeated, the players win the game.
The Goblin, Urdug, has agreed to show you a secret entrance to Mount Gundabad, but only if you help him recover some things he lost in Rhovanion.
Setup: The first player takes control of Urdug, objective side face-up. Set each other objective and objective-ally aside, out of play. Shuffle the encounter deck and discard cards from the top until X locations are discarded, where X is the number of players. Add each discarded location to the staging area.
You have agreed to help the Goblin in return for his assistance, but you keep a wary eye on him all the same.
Progress cannot be placed on locations in the staging area.
Forced: When the active location is explored, if the first player controls Urdug, advance to a random stage 2A.
Mount Gundabad rises before you, and the Dragon, Dagnir, waits within.
Setup: Add Dagnir to the staging area and set The First Forge aside, out of play. Create the Caves deck and the quest deck (see insert). Attach Wormsbane to a hero, Broken side face-up. Shuffle the encounter deck and discard cards from the top until X locations have been discarded, where X is 1 less than the number of players in the game. Add those locations to the staging area.
It doesn't take you long to discover Urdug's secret entrance, and with a turn from Durin's Key the way into Mount Gundabad lies open before you. You must find Durin's Forge, repair Wormsbane, and use it to kill Dagnir.
Forced: At the end of the planning phase, the first player looks at the top 2 cards of the quest deck and chooses 1 to place on the bottom of the quest deck. Then, add The Side Door to the victory display and advance to the top stage 2A of the quest deck.
The interior of Gundabad is dark and vast. Only by exploring the mines can you find your way.
When Revealed: Return Dagnir to the staging area.
If Exploring Gundabad is the current main quest, do not flip it over until the beginning of the quest phase.
Dagnir gets -5 engagement cost for each character the first player controls.
Response: After a player resolve an attack against Dagnir, if Dagnir has no hit points remaining, that player may discard a Reforged Wormsbane he controls to add Dagnir to the victory display. Then, the players win the game.
At the end of the combat phase, if there are 4 or fewer quests in the victory display, the players must bypass this stage.
Dagnir is dead. In a move long–planned, Urdug has returned with an army of Goblins to lay claim to Gundabad and the Dragon's Wealth.
Setup: Add The Goblins' Assault, The Heroes' Defense, and Urdug to the staging area. Shuffle 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.
Goblins swarm up the mountain slopes and you fight to keep them back.
Forced: At the end of the round, place 1 progress on The Goblins' Assault for each enemy in the staging area. Then, if there is X or more progress on The Goblins' Assault, advance. X is equal to 2, plus 2 per player.
A new force of Goblins has scaled the cliff above the gate and attacks you from the rear.
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 number of players in the game. Add those enemies to the staging area.
Hammered now on two fronts, you struggle to hold the gate.
Forced: After an enemy attacks, place 1 progress on The Goblins' Assault.
Forced: At the end of the round, if there is X or more progress on The Goblins' Assault, advance. X is equal to 4, plus 4 per player.
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.