After a tiring pursuit through the treacherous marshland, you have cornered Gollum, and move in for the capture.
Forced: After this stage is defeated, the first player chooses a player. That player must pass an Escape test, dealing 1 card from the encounter deck for each resource token on Gollum, to capture him. If Gollum is not captured at this time, reset the quest deck to stage 1B.
If this final Escape test is passed, the players have captured Gollum and won the game.
As you make the final push to Thranduil's Palace, your enemies make a desperate attempt to ambush your party, and seize Gollum for themselves.
Forced: At the beginning of the combat phase, all enemies in play engage the player guarding Gollum.
Players cannot defeat this stage if there are any enemies in play. If players defeat this stage, they have won 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.
The skeletons of Dwarves and Orcs lie undisturbed, but you have discovered no recent sign of the Dwarven colony. The sound of scampering feet travels to your ears, and you move in that direction to investigate. There is a patrol of Goblins, marching in a loose formation through the shadows.
When Revealed: Each player must search the encounter deck and discard pile for 1 enemy of his choice, and add it to the staging area. One choice must be Patrol Leader, if able.
Forced: After an enemy is revealed from the encounter deck, discard it instead of adding it to the staging area.
If there are no enemies in play, immediately advance to the next stage of the scenario. (Players can also advance by placing 11 progress tokens on Goblin Patrol.)
As the presence draws near, doubt and fear surround you like a vast shadow. You must find daylight, you must escape from the Black Pit...
While Search for an Exit is the active quest card, only flip it to side 2B at the beginning of the staging step.
When Revealed: Each player chooses 1 questing character he controls. Each questing character not chosen does not count its 
until the end of the turn.
Forced: After placing the 1st progress token on Narrow Paths, search the encounter deck and discard pile for Abandoned Tools and add it to the staging area, if able.
Players may bypass this quest card at the end of the combat phase.
As the presence draws near, doubt and fear surround you like a vast shadow. You must find daylight, you must escape from the Black Pit...
While Search for an Exit is the active quest card, only flip it to side 2B at the beginning of the staging step.
When Revealed: The first player chooses 1 of the following:
- • Each player discards 1 card from the top of the encounter deck. If the card is a treachery card, the discarding player is eliminated from the game.
- • Reveals the next quest card, putting Blocked by Shadow on the bottom of the quest deck.
Players may bypass this quest card at the end of the combat phase. If the players defeat this stage, they escape and win the game.
The fire-demon is Durin's Bane, doom of the Dwarves and the new Lord of Moria. It cannot be destroyed by mere strength of arms. You must find another way to deal with this Balrog as it relentlessly attacks, sword and whip weaving a deadly pattern of flame.
Forced: If at least 1 hero committed to the quest this round, place 4 progress tokens on The Rear Guard (bypassing the active location) at the end of the quest phase.
If Durin's Bane has 0 hit points, advance to the next stage of the scenario immediately.
You've recovered the scroll but are still outnumbered by your determined foes. Lord Alcaron shouts for you to escape and deliver the scroll before he flees to summon the city guard. If you can get to your ship, you can escape the clutches of these desperate thugs...
When Revealed: Each player searches the encounter deck and discard pile for 1 type:Enemy@enemy} and adds it to the staging area.
Enemies cannot be optionally engaged.
Forced: The first enemy revealed from the encounter deck each round makes an immediate attack against the player who controls Alcaron's Scroll from the staging area.
The players cannot defeat this stage unless Alcaron's Scroll is attached to a hero. If the players defeat this stage, they have won the game.
Having helped his rangers scatter the first wave of Haradrim invaders, Celador leads you north along a hidden trail that runs through Ithilien. But more Southrons are marching up the forest road. Now it is a foot race to reach Cair Andros before the enemy...
When Revealed: The first player takes contorl of all Ranger objectives in the staging area.
Enemies do not make engagement checks and cannot be optionally engaged.
As smoke and rending cries fill the air, rafts of Orcs beach their crafts all along the northern banks. You must reach the shore and drive them back into the river before a solid foothold can be established.
Reveal 1 additional card from the encounter deck and add it to the staging area during the staging step each round.
You've eluded the Orcs and you make haste for the river crossing. If you can get across, perhaps you can escape. But, Bellach has cleverly set a patrol at the ford, and you are quickly spotted. You make a dash for the river...
When Revealed: Add Bellach and The Crossing at Tharbad to the staging area. Then shuffle the encounter discard pile into the encounter deck and discard cards from the encounter deck until X Orc enemies have been discarded, where X is the number of players in the game. Add all discarded Orc enemies to the staging area.
Time 3. Forced: After the last time counter is removed from the quest, either raise each player's threat by 3 or Bellach makes an immediate attack against Nalir. Then, place 3 time counters on this stage.
Progress that would be placed on this quest are instead placed on The Crossing at Tharbad.
Forced: After a character leaves play, raise its controller's threat by 2.
When Revealed: End the current phase. Shuffle the encounter discard pile and the Orc deck into the encounter deck. Reveal Orc Ambush and Amon Forn and add them to the staging area.
You've hunted the Orcs to their secret gathering place on the northern edge of the Weather Hills: the old Dúnedain border fort of Amon Forn. With nowhere left to run, the Orcs turn and fight with desperate savagery.
Already weary from days of travel through harsh weather, you are hard pressed to match the Orcs' ferocity. You must rally your men or see them fall!
Each damaged character gets -1 .
Forced: At the beginning of the quest phase, either discard 1 resource token from Savage Counter-attack, or reveal an additional encounter card this phase.
If the players defeat this stage, they win the game.
You've brought the prisoners you rescued from the Weather Hills to Fornost. The Rangers gathered there are shocked to hear what you discovered at Amon Forn. Before their Chieftain can decide what to do, an unnatural fog covers the ruins in darkness, and the spectres of dead warriors emerge from the mists to attack you!
Setup: Put Iârion into play. Set Thaurdir aside, out of play. Add 1 copy of Fornost Square to the staging area. Shuffle the encounter deck.
When Revealed: Each player must search the encounter deck for a Baleful Shade and put it into play engaged with him. Shuffle the encounter deck and reveal 1 encounter card per player.
Forced: At the end of the refresh phase, each player discards the top card of his deck.
If a player has no cards in his deck, he is eliminated from the game.
The foul sorcery that drives the ghouls against you attacks your mind as well, and you fight to master your fear in the face of an unrelenting enemy. The question of who works the evil spell is answered by the appearance of a dark figure. The old man you had thought to be the Orcs' prisoner has revealed himself to be a powerful wraith. He must be stopped!
When Revealed: Add Thaurdir to the staging area. Then, reveal 1 encounter card per player.
Forced: After Thaurdir attacks and destroys a character, that character's controller must either discard the top 3 cards of his deck, or return Thaurdir to the staging area.
If a player has no cards in his deck, he is eliminated from the game. The players cannot defeat this stage while Thaurdir has any hit points remaining. If the players defeat this stage, they win the game.
Your trek through the Ettenmoors only gets worse as your injured company is pursued by hungry trolls and bettered by cold and rain.
When Revealed: Shuffle the encounter discard pile into the encounter deck. Discard cards from the top of the encounter deck until a side quest is discarded. Reveal that side quest and add it to the staging area, if able.
This land is barren and untamed. Food is scarce, and you must take care to avoid the Trolls and other creatures that roam the moors. If you are lucky, you may find a safe place to hide and rest for a short time before your journey continues.
Reveal 1 additional encounter card during the quest phase unless there is an active location with the safe keyword.
As your voyage continues, the skies darken and the rain becomes relentless. Storm clouds on the horizon flash with lightning, and unpredictable wind makes setting a course difficult.
Forced: At the end of the staging step, if you are off-course (
, 
, or 
), reveal an additional encounter card from the top of the encounter deck.
When you defeat this stage, if the Stormcaller is still at stage 3, you have caught up to the Stormcaller and win the game. Otherwise, advance to the next stage.
Swinging across on ropes, your company boards the Stormcaller, and a fierce battle ensues!
Setup: Build the encounter deck using only The Stormcaller and Corsair Raiders encounter sets, setting The Thing in the Depths and The Stormcaller Elite encounter sets aside, out of play (enemy side faceup). Search the encounter deck for Helm of the Stormcaller and 1 copy of Umbar Raider and add them to the staging area. Shuffle the encounter deck.
Captain Sahír and Na'asiyah gain indestructible.
Forced: At the end of the round, if Captain Sahír and Na'asiyah are not in play, add 1 resource to each of them.
Progress cannot be placed on this stage unless Helm of the Stormcaller is in the victory display.
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.
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've tracked the Mûmakil through miles of dense jungle and battled with the creatures that dwell therein, but now comes the hard part: you must actually capture the Oliphaunts alive.
When Revealed: Starting with the first player, each player attaches 1 random set-aside Capture objective to a Wild Mûmak in play.
Forced: At the beginning of the quest phase, if there is no active location, reveal an additional encounter card this phase.
This stage cannot be defeated while there are any Capture objectives in play. If the players defeat this stage, they win the game.
The hounds of Mordor have caught your scent and they close in on you from the south. Even riding on the tall Mumakil you are not safe from the barbed arrows of the Warg–riders. Your only hope is to reach the River Harnen before you are cut off.
When Revealed: Shuffle the encounter discard pile into the encounter deck and discard cards from the top until an Orc enemy is discarded. Add that enemy to the Orc's area.
Uruk Chieftain cannot take damage.
Reveal an additional encounter card during the quest phase if Uruk Chieftain is at stage 2D.
Forced: After characters are committed to quest, no more than 5 progress can be placed here this round (10 progress instead if each Tamed Mumak in play is committed to the quest).
You have reached the crossing, but some of your enemies anticipated this course of action and raced here ahead of you. They fight to delay your escape while their comrades close in from behind.
When Revealed: Add Warriors of the East to the staging area. 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.
You must fight your way past the Easterlings to cross into Dorwinion.
Each enemy in the staging area gets -10 enagement cost.
While at least one player is engaged with an enemy, no more than 5 progress can be placed here each round.
When this stage is defeated, the players win the game.
The Wainriders have challenged you to a chariot race. Win, and you earn your freedom. Lose, and the Wainriders will sell you as prisoners to Mordor.
Setup: Build the circuit (see insert). Place The Wainriders and The Challengers objective cards at this stage. The first player adds Wainrider Champion to the staging area. Each other player adds 1 different location to the staging area. Shuffle the encounter deck.
Race. This stage gets +4 quest points per player.
Forced: When this stage is defeated, make a racing
test. To pass requires 1 STRAIGHT result, plus an additional STRAIGHT result for each stage you have completed this round. If the players pass the test, excess progress is placed on the next stage. If the players fail the test, each player discards 1 random card from his hand.
The Wainriders have created a track that winds around their camp. The first part of the track is an open field that the racers sprint across to gain position before the track narrows.
Race. This stage gets +4 quest points per player.
Forced: When this stage is defeated, make a racing
test. To pass requires 1 STRAIGHT result, plus an additional STRAIGHT result for each stage you have completed this round. If the players pass the test, excess progress is placed on the next stage. If the players fail the test, deal 1 damage to each character.
After navigating a dangerous turn, the Wainrider's track wanders through difficult terrain at the far edge of their camp.
Race. This stage gets +4 quest points per player.
Forced: When this stage is defeated, make a racing test. To pass requires 1 STRAIGHT result, plus an additional STRAIGHT result for each stage you have completed this round. If the players pass the test, excess progress is placed on the next stage. If the players fail the test, reveal the top card of the encounter deck (top 2 cards instead if there are 3 or more players).
Before returning to the camp. the Wainrider's track climbs a steep hill that rises above the plains surrounding it.
Race. This stage gets +4 quest points per player.
Forced: When this stage is defeated, make a racing test. To pass requires 1 STRAIGHT result, plus an additional STRAIGHT result for each stage you have completed this round. If the players pass the test, excess progress is placed on the next stage. If the players fail the test, place 2 damage per player on The Wainriders' stage.
The final sprint of the Wainrider's track is another sharp turn at the bottom of the last climb. The drivers push themseleves to take the turn as fast as they can in order to finish ahead of the competition.
Race. This stage gets +4 quest points per player.
Forced: When this stage is defeated, make a racing test. To pass requires 1 TURN result, plus an additional TURN result for each stage you have completed this round. If the players pass the test, excess progress is placed on the next stage. If the players fail the test, this stage is not defeated and all progress here is discarded.
The tunnels of Torech Gorgor run beneath the Ash Mountains into Mordor.
Setup: Each player with more than 40 cards in his deck discards cards from the top of his deck until he has 40 cards left. The first player adds a copy of Torech Gorgor Patrol to the staging area. Each other player adds 1 different location to the staging area. Shuffle the encounter deck and discard cards from the top until a side quest is discarded. Reveal that side quest. Shuffle the encounter discard pile into the encounter deck.
The dark passage offers you a way into Mordor, but only if you can navigate the intersecting maze of tunnels before running out of provisions.
Event cards cannot shuffle cards from a player's discard pile into his deck.
Forced: At the end of the round, each player discards X cards from the top of his deck, where X is 1 more than the number of quest cards in play. If a player has no cards left in his deck, he is eliminated from the game.
Hope and supplies begin to run low the longer you wander through the oppresive dark of Torch Gordor. You need to find the exit before it's too late.
When Revealed: Search the encounter deck and discard pile for an encounter side quest and reveal it. 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.
Event cards cannot shuffle cards from a player's discard pile into his deck.
Forced: At the end of the round, each player discards X cards from the top of his deck, where X is 1 more than the number of quest cards in play. If a player has no cards left in his deck, he is eliminated from the game.
If the player defeat this stage, they win the game.
After killing the Great Goblin, Bilbo's companions fought to win their escape from the goblins. By the time they realized that Bilbo had been lost in the darkness, it was too late to turn back and search for him.
Setup: Add Lake in the Cavern to the staging area. Create a riddle area with stage 2A and follow the setup instructions on that card.
Players cannot advance to stage 3A unless both 1B and 2B are complete.
Forced: Reveal 1 additional encounter card per player during the staging step.
The ring Frodo Baggins inherited from his uncle Bilbo is indeed The One Ring. After conferring with the wizard Gandalf, Frodo decides to leave the Shire and take the ring to Rivendell.
Setup: Set Buckleberry Ferry aside, out of play. Add 1 Black Rider to the staging area and make Bag End the active location. Shuffle the encounter deck.
When a player fails a Hide test, each Nazgûl enemy in the staging area engages that player. (Trigger Forced effects after resolving this effect.)
The player cannot advance unless Bag End is in the victory display.
Frodo's friend insist on joining him in his adventure, but danger finds them sooner than anticipated when Black Riders appear in the Shire.
As Frodo watched he saw something dark pass across the lighter space between two trees, and then halt. It looked like the black shade of a horse led by a smaller black shadow. The black shadow stood close to the point where they had left the path, and it swayed from side to side. Frodo thought he heard the sound of snuffling. The shadow bent to the ground, and then began to crawl towards him. -The Fellowship of the Ring
When Revealed: The first player searches the encounter deck and discard pile for a Black Rider, reveals it (cannot be canceled), and adds it to the staging area. Shuffle the encounter deck.
When a player makes a Hide test, add 1 to the total 
for each ally that player controls.
When a player fails a Hide test, each Nazgûl enemy in the staging area engages that player. (Trigger Forced effects after resolving this effect.)
When Revealed: Add Buckleberry Ferry to the staging area.
When Revealed: The first player searches the encounter deck and discard pile for a Black Rider, reveals it (cannot be canceled), and adds it to the staging area. Shuffle the encounter deck.
When a player fails a Hide test, each Nazgûl enemy in the staging area engages that player. (Trigger Forced effects after resolving this effect.)
Response: After a player makes a successful Hide test, place X progress on a non-unique location in play. X is twice the number of players in the game.
...black horses leaped down the hill in pursuit, and from the Riders came a terrible cry, such as Frodo had heard filling the woods with horror in the Eastfarthing far away. It was answered; and to the dismay of Frodo and his friends out from the trees and rocks away on the left four other Riders came flying. Two rode towards Frodo: two galloping madly towards the Ford to cut off his escape. –The Fellowship of the Ring
When Revealed: Add Ford of Bruinen and The Witch-king to the staging area.
While at least 1 Nazgûl enemy is in play, Race to Rivendell gets +15 quest points.
If the players defeat this stage, they have won the game.
Trapped inside the Mines of Moria, the Company of the Ring must find their way through many twisting passages to reach the eastern door. But with every step they take into the Mines, there is a growing sense of dread...
Setup: Set The Balrog, The Great Bridge, and Chamber of Mazarbul aside out of play. Add Doom Doom Doom to the staging area and place 10 damage tokens on it. Each player adds 1 different location to the staging area.
Forced: After a player optionally engages an enemy, remove 1 damage from Doom Doom Doom.
There were not only many roads to choose from, there were also in many places holes and pitfalls, and dark wells beside the path in which their passing feet echoed. –The Fellowship of the Ring
Then there came an echoing blast: a great horn was blown in the hall, and answering horns and harsh cries were heard further off. There was a hurrying sound of many feet. –The Fellowship of the Ring
When Revealed: Add Chamber of Mazarbul to the staging area.
If there are no enemies in the staging area at the beginning of the quest phase, the first player reveals an additional encounter card during the staging step.
The players cannot advance unless there are X resource tokens on this stage. X is the number of players times 3.
Forced: After an enemy is defeated, place 1 resource token on this stage.
You are playing in Campaign Mode.
Setup: Starting with the first player, each player chooses 1 of the following boon cards: Phial of Galadriel, Three Golden Hairs, Lórien Rope, or Leaf-wrapped Lembas, and attaches it to a hero he controls. The chosen boon cards have been earned by the players. Shuffle Followed by Night and Ill Fate into the encounter deck.
"But this I will say to you: your Quest stands upon the edge of a knife. Stray but a little and it will fail, to the ruin of all." –Galadriel, The Fellowship of the Ring
Resolution: If Fallen into Evil is attached to a hero, add that hero to the list of Fallen Heroes in the Campaign Log.
The first player chooses either Followed by Night or Ill Fate to be added to the campaign pool. The chosen burden card has been earned by the players.
Each player chooses 1 hero he controls (other than the Ring-bearer or Aragorn) to be taken captive. Record the name of each "captive" in the Notes section of the Campaign Log.
I would have guided Frodo to Mordor and gone with him to the end; but if I seek him now in the wilderness, I must abandon the captives to torment and death. My heart speaks clearly at last: the fate of the Bearer is in my hands no longer. The Company has played its part. Yet we that remain cannot forsake our companions while we have strength left. Come! We will go now. Leave all that can be spared behind! We will press on by day and dark! –Aragorn, The Two Towers
"Now, Sam," said Frodo, "don't hinder me! The others will be coming back at any minute. If they catch me here, I shall have to argue and explain, and I shall never have the heart of the chance to get off. But I must go at once. It's the only way." –The Fellowship of the Ring
When Revealed: Add Parth Galen to the staging area. If it is your quest phase, end the phase (do not resolve the quest).
During the quest phase, reveal 1 additional encounter card for each player in the game.
Response: After an enemy is revealed at this stage, raise your threat by X to engage that enemy. X is that enemy's Each player (at any stage) may trigger this ability once per round.
When this stage is defeated, the players win the game.
You are playing campaign mode.
Setup: Remove Gildor Inglorion and Mr. Underhill from the Campaign Pool. Remove each burden with the following burden set icons from the encounter deck:
A Shadow of the Past, Flight to the Ford, The Ring Goes South
They followed their enemies now by the clear light of day. It seemed that the Orcs had pressed on with all possible speed. –The Two Towers
Resolution: If the pursuit value is 25 or lower, the players must choose: either each player earns one of the Skill boons (Intimidation, Hands of a Healer Forewarned, or Leader of Men) and attached it to a hero he controls, or one player ears the boon Beyond All Hope and chooses a hero from the list of fallen heroes. That player takes control of the chosen hero (removing it from the list of fallen heroes) and attaches Beyond All Hope to it. If a player controls more than 3 non-
heroes, he must remove heroes from the Campaign Log until he controls only 3 heroes. Changing heroes as a result of earning Beyond All Hope does not incur a +1 threat penalty. Add the earned cards to the Campaign Pool.
Then when they had laid their fallen comrades in a mound and had sung their praises, the Riders made a great fire and scattered the ashes of their enemies. So ended the raid, and no news of it came ever back either to Mordor or Isengard; but the smoke of the burning rose hight ot heaven and was seen by many watchful eyes. –The Two Towers
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.
You are playing campaign mode.
Setup: Each player must choose: either add 1 resource to each of his heroes' pools, or shuffle 1 copy of Brace of Coneys 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
So they passed into the northern marches of that land that Men once called Ithilien, a fair country of climbing woods and swift–falling streams. -The Two Towers
Resolution: Each player who chose to shuffle a copy of Brace of Coneys into his deck during setup has earned that boon. Add each earned copy to the campaign pool. Record the name and quantity of each enemy underneath The Black Gate in the notes section of the campaign log.
"Here is the last parting of our ways," said Faramir.
"If you take my counsel, you will not turn eastward yet. Go straight on, for thus you will have the cover of the woodland for many miles." –The Two Towers
Sméagol has led Frodo and Sam to the Morgul Vale, where he promises to show them a secret way over the Mountains of Shadow and into the land of Mordor, but Sam fears that Gollum may be leading them into a trap...
Setup: Set Cleft of Cirith Ungol, Shelob and The Great Spider encounter set aside, out of play. Put Sméagol into play under the first player's control. Make Morgul Vale the active location. Add Sméagol's Secret Way to the staging area. Shuffle the encounter deck.
Progress cannot be placed on Underground locations.
Response: After Sméagol's Secret Way is explored, discard 3 random cards from each player's hand to discard each Nazgûl enemy in the staging area.
Forced: At the end of the quest phase, if Sméagol's Secret Way is in the victory display, advance to stage 2A.
And now the fighting waxed furious on the fields of the Pelennor; and the din of arms rose upon high, with the crying of men and the neighing of horses.
–The Return of the King
When Revealed: The first player adds The Witch-king to the staging area (Sorcerer side faceup). Then, he searches the encounter deck and discard pile for a Fell Beast and attaches it to The Witch-king, if able. Shuffle the encounter deck. Each other player reveals an encounter card.
The Witch-king and shadow cards deal to The Witch-king are immune to player card effects.
Forced: When an enemy attacks and destroys a character, deal 1 damage to Minas Tirith.
This stage cannot be defeated unless Aragorn is in play and The Witch-king is in the victory display. If the players defeat this stage, they win the game.
"Roaring he swept back over the town. A hail of dark arrows leaped up and snapped and rattled on his scales and jewels, and their shafts fell back kindled by his breath burning and hissing into the lake." – The Hobbit
Forced: During the quest phase, reveal 1 additional card from the encounter deck.
Refresh Action: Reset the quest deck to stage 2B.
The players must defeat Smaug to defeat this stage. When Smaug is defeated, compare the number of damage tokens on Lake-Town with the number of Victory points in the victory display. If the players have more victory points, they have won the game. Otherwise, Lake-Town has burned and the players have lost.
"Everything in it is very much more alive, more aware of what is going on, so to speak, than things are in the Shire. And the trees do not like strangers."
–Merry, The Fellowship of the Ring
When Revealed: If the number of locations in the staging area is less than the number of players in the game, search the encounter deck and discard pile for a location and add it to the staging area. Shuffle the encounter deck.
Forced: The first player reveals 1 additional encounter card during the quest phase.
Forced: After placing progress as a result of questing successfully, if there are X or more total victory points on locations in the victory display, advance to stage 3A. Otherwise, advance to a different random stage 2A. X is the number of players in the game times 5.
When Revealed: The first player adds Standing Stones to the staging area. Each other player reveals 1 encounter card. Shuffle the encounter discard pile and each copy of Great Barrows into the encounter deck.
Progress cannot be placed here while Great Barrow is in play.
Forced: After a player is eliminated (at any stage), raise the threat of each player at this stage by 10.
The players cannot defeat this stage unless each player in the game is at this stage and Standing Stones is in the victory display. If the players defeat this stage, they win the game.
You have arrived in Bree to find the village abuzz over a recent crime.
Setup: Search the encounter deck for the 5 Suspect enemies and 5 Hideout locations. Randomly select 1 Suspect and 1 Hideout and set them aside out of play, facedown (without looking at them). Build the Investigation deck (see rules) and place it next to the quest deck. Make The Prancing Pony the active location and add 1 Ramshackle Manor to the staging area. Shuffle the encounter deck.
Someone has broken into The Prancing Pony, murdered a guest and made off with the victim's belongings. Barliman Butterbur begs you to find the killer before the trail grows cold.
No more than 4 progress can be placed on this stage each round.
Forced: At the beginning of the quest phase, each player must choose: either raise his threat by 2, or reveal an additional encounter card this phase.
You've gathered everyone you can into Annúminas but the host of Angmar is hot on your heels. Once you reach the city gate, you draw your weapons and turn to face the charging Orcs. They cannot be allowed to enter this way.
When Revealed: Shuffle the encounter discard pile into the encounter deck and discard cards from the top until X enemies are discarded. X is one less than the number of players in the game, to a minimum of 1. Add each enemy discarded this way to the staging area.
This stage gets -10 quest points for each Host of Angmar in a victory display.
Forced: Reveal 1 additional card during the quest phase.
Response: At the end of the round, choose a stage. Each player at that stage chooses a hero he controls and adds 1 resource to that hero's pool.
You've driven back the Orcs, but they've captured some of your companions. You won't abandon your friends, so you follow them to the enemy camp.
When Revealed: Shuffle the encounter discard pile into the encounter deck. The first player adds Enemy Camp to the staging area. Each other player reveals an encounter card. Each player at each stage chooses a hero he controls, discards all tokens and attachments from it, and places it facedown under the main quest at their stage.
Process cannot be placed here while Enemy Camp is in play.
Response: At the end of the round, raise each player's threat by 1 and reveal an encounter card to choose a non-unique enemy worth no victory points at another stage. Discard the chosen enemy.
If the Lieutenant of Angmar is in the victory display at the end of the round, the players have routed the enemy and won the game.
You've driven the enemy from the battlements when you hear a commotion from below. Orcs have tunneled under the walls and atack you from the rear. You charge down the stairs to stem the tide of Orcs and block the tunnel entrance.
When Revealed: Shuffle the encounter discard pile into the encounter deck. The first player adds Siege Tunnel to the staging area. Each other player reveals an encounter card.
Progress cannot be placed here while Siege Tunnel is in play.Response: At the end of the round, raise each player's threat by 1 and reveal an encounter card to choose a non-unique enemy worth no victory points at another stage. Discard the chosen enemy.
If the Lieutenant of Angmar is in the victory display at the end of the round, the players have routed the enemy and won the game.