While Ruins of the Second Age is in the staging area, City locations get +1 .
While Ruins of the Second Age is the active location, deal engaged enemies 1 additional shadow card at the beginning of the combat phase.
...as far as Tharbad, where the old North Road crossed the river by a ruined town. –The Fellowship of the Ring
Attach to a Ranger hero.
Response: After attached hero commits to a quest, name enemy, location or treachery. If a card of the named type is revealed during this quest phase, exhaust Wingfoot to ready attached hero.
"Wingfoot I name you. This deed of the three friends should be sung in many a hall. Forty leagues and five you have measured ere the forth day is ended!"
–Ăomer, The Two Towers
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 NĂźn–in–Eilph for an age and there is no path through the shifting marshland. You must find your own way across the treacherous bog.
3
2
4
When Revealed: Either place 3 damage on the active location, or reveal an additional encounter card.
Scour: Place 1 damage on the active location.
Shadow: Place 1 damage on the active location.
3
2
2
When Revealed: Either remove 1 time counter from the active location, or reveal an additional encounter card.
Shadow: Attacking enemy gets +X where X is the Time X value on the active location.
2
2
4
6 â
3
While you are engaged with any enemy, Halbarad does not exhaust to commit to a quest.
You may optionally engage 1 additional enemy during the encounter phase.
"Little do they know of our long labour for the safekeeping of their borders, and yet I grudge it not." –The Return of the King
1
0
2
3 â
3
Response: After Weather Hills Watchman enters play, search the top 5 cards of your deck for a Signal card and add it to your hand. Shuffle the other cards back into your deck.
"Rangers use runes, and they come here sometimes." –Aragorn, The Fellowship of the Ring
Play only if you control a DĂșnedain hero.
Planning Action: Shuffle 1 of your set aside Ranger of the North allies with the encounter keyword into the encounter deck. Then, remove Ranger Summons from the game.
"We rode as swiftly as we might when your summons came." –Halbarad, The Return of the King
2
3
3
When Revealed: Either discard 1 ally from play, or reveal an additional encounter card.
Shadow: Attacking enemy gets +1 . If this attack destroys an ally, return attacking enemy to the staging area.
5
2
5
Forced: After Angmar Captain attacks and destroys an ally, discard the top card of the defending player's deck. If the discarded card is an ally, Angmar Captain makes an additional attack against the defending player.
In the twilight he saw a large black Orc... –The Two Towers
5
4
8
Cannot have attachments.
Cannot be optionally engaged.
Forced: After Pack Leader engages you, exhaust a character you control for each Warg enemy engaged with you.
Having rescued as many of your companions as you can find, you begin to make your way towards the dungeon's hidden exit. By now GornĂĄkh is surely aware of your escape, and the orcs that were with Thaurdir are now searching for you, as well.
When Revealed: Add Southern Gate and Jailor GornĂĄkh to the staging area. Shuffle the Angmar Orcs encounter set into the encounter deck. Then, reveal 1 encounter card per player from the top of the encounter deck.
Orcs and Goblins rush to find you before you can make your escape. You must make haste if you wish to make it out of Mount Gram alive!
The player cannot travel to Southern Gate unless there is at least 16 progress on this stage.
The players cannot defeat this stage while Souther Gate is in play. If the players defeat this stage, they have escaped Mount Gram and win the game.
Action: Search your deck for a side quest and add it to your hand. Shuffle your deck.
"I called for the help of the DĂșnedain, and their watch was doubled..."
–Gandalf, The Fellowship of the Ring
2
2
4
6 â
5
Draw 3 additional cards at the beginning of the resource phase.
At the end of the round, discard all cards in your hand.
"That is the path of despair. Of folly, I would say, if the long wisdom of Elrond did not forbid me."
–The Fellowship of the Ring
3
3
3
6 â
4
While you are engaged with at least 1 enemy, AmarthiĂșl gains the 
resource icon.
While you are engaged with at least 2 enemies, add 1 additional resource to AmarthiĂșl's resource pool when you collect resources during the resource phase.
"The heirs of Elendil do not forget all things past..."
–Aragorn, The Return of the King
Response: Exhaust a DĂșnedain or Ranger hero to cancel an enemy card just revealed from the encounter deck. Then, shuffle it back into the encounter deck and reveal an additional encounter card.
"... though I cannot disappear, I have hunted many wild and wary things and I can usually avoid being seen, if I wish."
–Aragorn, The Fellowship of the Ring
Attach to a player's threat dial. Limit 1 per player.
Forced: When you would be eliminated by reaching your threat elimination level, instead discard Favor of the Valar and reduce your threat to 5 less than your threat elimination level. You are not eliminated.
"...their hearts were lifted up in such a hope as they had not known since the darkness came out of the East..."
–The Return of the King
As you descend into the catacombs beneath Carn DĂ»m, you find yourself overcome with terror. Still, you press onward, knowing that IĂąrion's fate–and perhaps the fate of the north–lies in your hand.
Setup: Set Daechanar and Altar of Midwinter aside, out of play. Each player reveals an encounter card from the top of the encounter deck. Each player reanimates the top card of his deck.
Daechanar's powers of sorcery and necromancy are strongest here, in the capital of the Witch–realm where the lord of the NazgĂ»l once resided.
Reanimated Dead are Undead enemies with 2 , 2 , 2 and 2 hit points.
When the players advance to stage 2, all Sorcery cards attached to this stage are attached to stage 2B.
While Daechanar is in play, progress cannot be placed on Altar of Midwinter.
Forced: At the end of the staging step, the first player must either reveal 1 additional card from the encounter deck, or reanimate the top card of his deck.
2
2
4
8 â
6
Draw 1 additional card at the beginning of the resource phase.
Forced: After drawing cards at the beginning of the resource phase, choose and discard 1 of those cards.
Very tall he was, and his beard was long, and he was grey and old, save that his eyes were keen as stars...
–The Return of the King
As an additional cost to play Skyward Volley, exhaust a ranged character you control.
Combat Action: Deal 2 damage to an enemy engaged with a player. Resolve that effect again for each copy of Skyward Volley currently in your discard pile (you may choose different targets).
Setup: Set Captain SahĂr and Naâasiyah aside, out of play. Add The Havens Burn, the Dream-chaser, and 1 copy of SahĂrâs Ravager to the staging area. Shuffle the encounter deck and discard cards from the top of the encounter deck until X locations with the Aflame keyword are discarded, where X is the number of players in the game. Add each discarded Aflame location to the staging area. Then, shuffle the encounter discard pile back into the encounter deck.
Corsairs are attacking the Grey Havens and burning the Elven fleet. You must defend the Havens from these fierce raiders and save as many ships as you can!
Forced: At the end of the combat phase, deal X damage to the Aflame location in play with the lowest Aflame value. X is the number of Corsair enemies in play.
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 Naâasiyah and Captain SahĂr to the staging area, enemy side faceup. Each player reveals the top card of the encounter deck. Place resources on Naâasiyah and Captain SahĂr 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 SahĂr is in the victory display and each location in play has no damage, the players win the game.
While Calm Waters is the active location, look at 2 additional cards from the top of the encounter deck during each Sailing test.
Shadow: Attacking enemy gets +1 (+3 instead if attacking enemy is a Ship Enemy).
3
3
2
Forced: When Corsair Infiltrator attacks, deal it 1 additional shadow card for each resource on it.
Forced: After the engaged player collects resources at the beginning of the resource phase, that player moves 1 resource from one of his heroes’ pools to Corsair Infiltrator.
4
2
14
2
3
3
5 â
4
As an additional cost to play Guardian of Rivendell from your hand, you must discard 2 cards from your hand.
"Indeed there is a power in Rivendell to withstand the might of Mordor, for a while."
–Gandalf, The Fellowship of the Ring
Immune to player card effects.
Helm of the Stormcaller gets +1 quest point for each resource token on a Raider enemy in play.
Forced: When Helm of the Stormcaller becomes the active location, add Captain SahĂr and Na'asiyah to the staging area from out of play (enemy side faceup).
While Quarter Deck is the active location, deal each enemy an additional shadow card at the beginning of the combat phase.
Shadow: Discard an attachment you control.
Play Entagling Nets into the staging area, unattached.
If unattached, attach Entangling Nets to the next eligible enemy that enters the staging area.
Attached enemy gets -2 and -2
Play only after making engagement checks.
Encounter Action: If no enemies were engaged this phase, deal 1 damage to each enemy in the staging area. Then, the players as a group may spend 3 resources to deal 2 additional damage to each enemy in the staging area.
Setup: Prepare the Island Map (see insert). Flip over the top-left and bottom-left locations of the Island Map (without resolving their Forced effects, if any), and choose one as the player's starting active location, using a resource token to represent which location is active. The first player takes control of Captain SahĂr, and the last player takes control of Na'asiyah (objective-ally side faceup). Add Temple Guardian to the staging area and attach Gate Key to it, guarded. Shuffle the encounter deck.
SahĂr has led you to an uncharted isle, and has agreed to help you find a chest he claims the black key will open. First, you must find the Gate Key that opens the way to the grand temple on the eastern side of the island.
For each progress that would be placed on Searching the Island, you may place it on a location in the staging area, instead.
6
4
10
X is the number of players in the game.
Immune to player card effects. Cannot be optionally engaged.
Temple Guardian gets -50 engagement cost while Cursed Temple is the active location.
If unattached, return Gate Key to the staging area and it gains:"Action: Exhaust a hero to claim Gate Key and attach it to that hero."
Action: Exhaust Gate Key and attached hero and spend 3 resources from attached hero's resource pool to look at the facedown side of a Temple of the Deceived.
4
1
5
Island Watcher cannot be optionally engaged.
While Island Watcher is in the staging area, it gains:"Forced: At the beginning of the encounter phase, if the active location has the Ruins trait, Island Watcher engages the player with the highest treat. Then, deal it 2 shadow cards."
Attach to a hero.
Response: After DĂșnedain Remedy is attached to a hero, heal 1 damage on that hero.
Action: Pay 1 resource from attached hero's resource pool to attach DĂșnedain Remedy to another hero.
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 SahĂr, 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.
Attach to a Ranger or
hero.
Response: After a Signal attachment is attached to a hero, exhaust Rune-master to add 1 resource to that hero's resource pool.
Limit 1 per deck.
Planning Action: Add Justice Shall Be Done to the victory display to draw 3 cards and add 3 resources to the resource pool of each hero you control. At the end of the round, you are eliminated from the game.
"...it is the last move in a great jeopardy, and for one side or the other it will bring the end of the game."
–Aragorn, The Return of the King
If Sea-ward Tower is free of encounters, add it to the staging area, controlled by the players.
While the players control Sea-ward Tower, look at 2 additional cards from the top of the encounter deck during each Sailing test.
Attach to Prince Imrahil.
Price Imrahil gains the Outlands trait.
While you control Outlands allies that belong to 4 different spheres, add 1 additional resource to Prince Imrahil's resource pool when you collect resources during the resource phase (if Prince Imrahil is a hero).
Setup: Shuffle the Coast of Umbar , Corsair Raiders, Stormy Weather , Umbar Fleet, and Voyage Across Belegaer encounter sets into one encounter deck and make it the active encounter deck. Set The City of Corsairs encounter set aside, as an inactive second encounter deck. Prepare the Corsair deck. Players prepare their fleet. Add the Stormcaller to the staging area. Add 1 copy of Southern Belfalas to the staging area (2 instead if there are 3 or 4 players in the game). Shuffle the encounter deck.
Deep in enemy waters, you must recover the artifact from the Stormcaller.
Progress cannot be placed on The Coast of Umbar if the players are off-course (
, 
, or 
).
If the Stormcaller is destroyed (or if this stage has 15 or more progress on it), advance to stage 2.
When Revealed: Deal 1 shadow card to each Ship enemy in play. Then, if you are off-course (Cloudy, Rainy, Stormy), each Ship enemy in play gets -10 enagement cost until the end of the round.
6
2
8
Captain SahĂr engages the first player.
For each point of damage Captain SahĂr would take, discard 1 resource from him and cancel that damage.
For every 5 resources on Captain SahĂr, he makes an additional attack against the engaged player each combat phase.
When faced with the option to travel, if Streets of Umbar is in the staging area, the players must either travel to a location named Streets of Umbar or add 2 resources to a Raider enemy in play.
Shadow: If attacking enemy is a Raider deal it an additional shadow card for each resource token on it, to a maximum of 3 additional shadow cards.
When Revealed: Each player returns an enemy engaged with him to the staging area. Until the end of the round, enemies cannot be optionally engaged. If there are no enemies in the staging area, search the encounter deck and discard pile for an enemy and add it to the staging area.
2
2
3
Response: At the beginning of the planning phase, add 1 resource to a hero's pool.
If Kahliel leaves play, you are eliminated from the game.