After his defeat in Dorwinion. Ulchor fled east with the remnants of his army. You have pursued him to the City of Ulfast on the southern shore of the Sea of Rhân. Determined to bring the villain to justice, you sneak into the city at night and begin searching for him.
Setup: Add City Guard to the staging area. Each player adds a different location to the staging area. Shuffle the encounter deck.
Ulfast is a city of Easterlings, and they do not take kindly to intruders. You must take care to avoid the city guard as you search about.
City Guard cannot have more than 5 damage, and it gets -5 engagement cost for each resource here.
Forced: At the end of the round, place 1 resource here.
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 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.
You've decided to risk everything to rescue Ulchor's captives from slavery.
Setup: Add each Camp location to the staging area. Attach a random Captive objective-ally to each Camp location as a guarded objective. Place 1 random Warden enemy faceup (but not in play) under each Camp location. Shuffle the encounter deck and discard cards from the top until X locations are discarded, where X is 1 less than the number of players. Add each location discarded this way to the staging area.
Each Camp location is immune to player card effects, and player cannot travel there while a Warden enemy is in play.
Forced: At the end of the round, raise each player's threat by 1 for each Camp location in the staging area.
This stage cannot be defeated unless players control all 3 Captive objective-allies.
Your quest to defeat Thane Ulchor has brought you to his stronghold in Mordor.
Setup: Player decks cannot exceed 50 cards. Create the Power of Mordor deck (see insert) and set it next to the quest deck. Each player puts 1 copy of Ulchor's Guard into play engaged with him. Add Thane Ulchor and all 4 copies of the Storm the Castle side quest to the staging area. Place the top card of the Power of Mordor deck faceup under each side quest in play. Each player places 8 cards from top of his deck under the quest deck and each side quest in play.
You lead an army of rescued slaves in a surprise attack on Ulchor's fortress.
Thane Ulchor cannot leave the staging area.
While there are at least 3 progress tokens on this stage, it cannot be chosen as the current quest stage during the quest phase.
This stage cannot be defeated unless it is the end of the round and there are 3 Castle side quests in the victory display.
The wizard Gandalf has chosen Bilbo Baggins to join Thorin and company on their quest to the Lonley Mountain.
Setup: Remove and shuffle the 7 Sack cards into a Sack deck and set it aside face down. Remove the 3 Troll enemies and the Troll Cave from the encounter deck and set them aside out of play. Then, shuffle the encounter deck. Each player reveals 1 card from the top of the encounter deck and adds it to the staging area.
At first they had passed through hobbit–lands, a wild respectable country inhabited by decent folk, with good roads, an inn or two, and now and then, a dwarf or a farmer ambling by on business. Then they came to lands where people spoke strangely, and sang songs Bilbo had never heard before. – The Hobbit.
Setup: Shuffle the Over the Misty Mountains Grim and Western Lands encounter sets into one encounter deck and make it the active encounter deck. Then, shuffle the The Great Goblin and Misty Mountain Goblins encounter sets into a second encounter deck and set it aside, inactive.
After a refreshing stay in the House of Elrond, Bilbo and his companions resumed their quest for the Lonely Mountain. But to reach Erebor, they first had to climb the high pass over the Misty Mountains.
When Revealed: Each player may search his deck for 1 treasure card and add it to his hand, then shuffle his deck. Advance to stage 2A.
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.
"Stick to the forest–track, keep your spirits up, hope for the best, and with a tremendous slice of luck you may come out one day and see the Long Marshes lying below you, and beyond them, high in the East, the Lonely Mountain where dear old Smaug lives."
–Gandalf, The Hobbit
Setup: Each player may shuffle 1 copy Bilbo's Magic Ring into his deck. Search the encounter deck for The Spider's Glade and set it aside, out of play. Then, shuffle the encounter deck and reveal 1 encounter card per player.
Unconscious characters cannot quest, attack, defend, collect resources, trigger abilities, be poisoned, or ready (except by effects that target unconscious character).
Setup: Search the encounter deck for Smaug the Golden, Smaug the Magnificent, The Lonely Mountain and A Bare Patch. Set Smaug the Magnificent and A Bare Patch aside, out of play. Add Smaug the Golden and The Lonely Mountain to the staging area. Shuffle the five Erebor treasure cards and stack them facedown under The Lonely Mountain.
Skip the Quest phase.
Forced: At the end of the round, advance to stage 2.
So one day, although autumn was now getting far on, and winds were cold, and leaves were falling fast, three large boats left Lake–town, laden with rowers, dwarves, Mr. Baggins, and many provisions. –The Hobbit
"Dread has come upon you all! Alas! It has come more swiftly than I guessed. The Goblins are upon you! Bolg of the North is coming. O Dain! whose father you slew in Moria. Beehold! the bats are above his army like a sea of locusts. They ride upon wolves and Wargs are in their train!"
-The Hobbit
Setup: Search the encounter deck for Bolg and add it to the staging area. Then, shuffle the encounter deck and reveal 1 encounter card per player.
When Revealed: Put stage 2, stage 3 and stage 4 into play at the same time. Then remove this stage from play.
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.
Frodo and his companions arrive at Bree to find the shadow of the Black Riders already on the crossroads town. Unsure of who to trust, they decide to lodge at The Prancing Pony. There they meet a friend of Gandalf named Strider who offers to lead them to Rivendell, but their movements are also tracked by less savory folk.
Setup: Set all copies of Ringwraith, The Witch-king, Midgewater, and Weathertop aside, out of play. Add The Prancing Pony and Bill Ferny to the staging area. Shuffle the encounter deck.
The player cannot advance while The Prancy Pony is in play.
In dark and loneliness they are strongest; they will not openly attack a house where there are lights and many people – not until they are desperate, not while all the long leagues of Eriador still lie before us. But their power is in terror, and already some in Bree are in their clutch. They will drive these wretches to some evil work: Ferny, and some of the strangers, and, maybe, the gatekeeper too.
âStrider, The Fellowship of the Ring
Frodo has been gravely injured in the attack on Weathertop and will perish if his companions cannot bring him to Rivendell in time. Strider leads the Hobbits towards the hidden valley, anxiously listening for the sound of Black Riders...
Setup: Shuffle each burden card from the Flight to the Ford burden set into a Burden deck. Attach An Evil Wound to the Ring-bearer. Set Ford of Bruinen and The Witch-king aside, out of play. Add The Last Bridge and 1 Fell Rider per player to the staging area. Set the Ring-bearer's life at 15. Shuffle the encounter deck.
The players cannot advance unless The Last Bridge is in the victory display.
Forced: At the end of the round, reduce the Ring-bearer's life by 1.
In the House of Elrond, the evil wound that Frodo received on Weathertop is healed and he is reunited with his uncle Bilbo. The One Ring cannot remain hidden in Rivendell for long, so Lord Elrond summons a council to decide what should be done to protect the Free Peoples of Middle–earth.
Setup: Set Lust for the Ring Redhorn Pass, Doors of Durin and Watcher in the Water aside, out of play. Shuffle the encounter deck.
Forced: At the end of the planning phase, each player places the top card of his deck faceup in front of him, in player order, until there are a total of 4 faceup cards between the players. The first player chooses 1 faceup card to be played for 0 cost, 1 to add to its owner's hand, 1 to discard, and 1 to shuffle into its owner's deck. Then, either shuffle Lust for the Ring into the encounter deck, or raise each player's threat by 5. Advance to stage 2.
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
Having barely escaped from Moria, the Company of the Ring flees into the forest of LĂłrien where they are welcomed by the Elves of the Golden Wood and supplied with boats and other gifts by their Lord and Lady, Celeborn and Galadriel. Then, after a brief rest, they set out upon the River Anduin.
Setup: Set Frodo's Choice, Seat of Seeing, and Parth Galen aside, out of play. Add The Argonath and Sarn Gebir to the staging area.
Enemies get +2 and cannot be engaged. Skip the encounter phase.
The players cannot advance while The Argonath is in play.
So the Company went on their long way, down the wide hurrying waters, borne ever southwards. Bare woods stalked along either bank, and they could not see any glimpse of the lands behind. –The Fellowship of the Ring
The Orcs that attached the Fellowship at Amon Hen captured several members of the Company and are carrying them to Isengard. Aragorn and his companions decide to chase the Uruk–hai in an effort to rescue their friends...
Setup: Make Estemnet the active location. Add UglĂșk and To Isengard! to the staging area. Each player chooses 1 non-
hero he controls to be a Captive and places it faceup underneath to Isengard! (If playing campaign mode, choose each "captive" from the Campaign Log instead). Set the pursuit value to 10.
X is the Pursuit value.
UglĂșk cannot leave the staging area or take damage.
Forced: At the end of the combat phase, increase the pursuit value by 1 for each enemy in the staging area.
"With hope or without hope we will follow the trail of our enemies. And woe to them, if we prove the swifter!" –Aragorn, The Two Towers
The pursuit of the Uruk–hai has brought the Heir of Elendil to Rohan just as Saruman declares war on that land. Aragorn and his companions travel to Edoras to aid King ThĂ©oden, but their arrival is met with suspicion...
Setup: Set The Defense of Helm's Deep and 1 copy of Deeping Wall aside, out of play. Each player sets 1 copy of Soldier of Isengard aside, out of play. Then, the players must choose: either each player shuffles 1 copy of Poisoned Counsels into his deck, or advance to stage 2A (bypassing stage 1B).
When Revealed: Each player chooses 1 ally in his hand that matches the sphere of a hero he controls and puts it into play under his control.
Skip the quest phase and combat phase.
Forced: At the end of the round, advance to stage 2A.
"Hail, ThĂ©oden son of Thengel! I have returned. For behold! the storm comes, and now all friends should gather together..." –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.
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
"These cursed Southrons come now marching up the ancient roads to swell the hosts of the Dark Tower. Yea, up the very roads that craft of Gondor made." -Mablung, The Two Towers
Setup: Add The Black Gate and The Cross-roads to the staging area. Shuffle the Harad encounter set and place it facedown under The Cross-roads. Each player, except for the first player, searches the encounter deck for a different non-unique location and adds it to the staging area. Shuffle the encounter deck.
Forced: At the beginning of the quest phase, reveal the top facedown card from under The Cross-roads and add it to the staging area.
The players cannot defeat this stage while The Cross-roads is in play. When The Cross-roads is explored, the players win the game.
"The road may pass, but they shall not!"
âMablung, 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.
"I must take new counsel for myself and my kindred. We must ride our own road, and no longer in secret. For me the time of stealth has passed. I will ride by the swiftest way, and I will take the Paths of the Dead." –Aragorn, The Return of the King
Setup: Set The Stone of Erech and Army of the Dead aside, out of play. Each player attaches a copy of Overcome by Fear to his threat dial. Remove each unattached copy of Overcome by Fear from the game.
"This is an evil door," said Halbarad, "and my death lies beyond it. I will dare to pass nonetheless..." –The Return of the King
When Revealed: Each player may add 1 resource to the resource pool of each hero he controls. Each player who does so must raise his threat by 3.
Forced: At the end of the planning phase, discard all cards in each player's hand and advance to stage 2A.
"There at Pelargir lay the main fleet of Umbar, fifty great ships and smaller vessels beyond count. Many of those that we pursued had reached the havens before us..."
–Gimli, The Return of the King
Setup: Add The Corsair Fleet (Corsair side faceup) and Great Corsair Ship to the staging area. Each player searches the encounter deck for a Ship location and adds it to the staging area. Shuffle the encounter deck.
"But the Haradrim, being now driven to the brink, turned at bay, and they were fierce in despair; and they laughed when the looked on us, for they were a great army still." –Gimli, The Return of the King
Each Ship location in the staging area is immune to player card effects.
The players cannot defeat this stage while Great Corsair Ship is in play. When this stage is defeated, the players win the game.
"Here will the hammer–stroke fall hardest. And for that reason Mithrandir came hither in such haste. For if we fall, who shall stand?
–Beregond, The Return of the King
Setup: Set Minas Tirith, Grond, The Witch-king, and each copy of Wraith of Wings aside, out of play. Search the encounter deck for a copy of Pelennor Field and make it the active location. Shuffle the encounter deck. The players may attach Esquire of Rohan and Esquire of Gondor to different heroes.
...companies came and were hailed and cheered and passed through the Gate, men of the Outlands marching to defend the City of Gondor in a dark hour.
–The Return of the King
Skip the quest phase and combat phase.
Forced: At the end of the planning phase, place 1 progress here.
Frodo has been captured by the Orcs of Cirith Ungol and imprisoned at the top of their tower, but Sam is determined to rescue his master.
Setup: Set Shagrat aside, out of play. Add The Two Wachers (location side faceup) and Topmost Chamber to the staging area. The first player loses control of the Ring-bearer and place it faceup under Topmost Chamber as a guarded objective. Then, the first player attaches Last of the Company to a hero he controls and attaches The One Ring to that hero.
He could see no obstacle, but something too strong for his will to overcome barred the way. –The Return of the King
Each non-unique location gets -1 and cannot leave the staging area.
While The Two Watchers is in the staging area (enemy side faceup), it is considered to be engaged with each player.
The stage cannot be defeated while The Two Watchers is in play.
Aragorn has led the Men of the West to the very Gate of Mordor in a perilous gamble to keep the Eye of Sauron focused on him. After challenging the Dark Lord to come forth and face judgement, the Black Gate opens and an embassy from Barad–dâr rides out led by The Mouth of Sauron.
Setup: Add The Black Gate and The Mouth of Sauron to the staging area. Set Gwaihir aside, out of play. Shuffle the encounter deck.
Dire.When Revealed: In player order, each player places the top card of his deck faceup in front of him until their are a total of 4 faceup player cards between the players. Place the top 4 cards of the encounter deck faceup. Starting with the highest cost player card, pair each player card with the highest threat encounter card remaining until their are 4 pairs. For each pair, the first player must choose: either discard both cards in the pair, or reveal the encounter card to play the player card at no cost.
Against all odds, the Ring–bearer has found his way into The Black Land of Modor, but a dangerous journey still lies before him and The Eye of Sauron yet searches for the spies who escaped from Cirith Ungol.
Setup: Add Mount Doom and The Tower of Barad-dûr to the staging area. Make Brake of Thorns the active location. Each player searches the encounter deck for a different location and adds it to the staging area. Shuffle the encounter deck.
Fordo and Sam gazed out in mingled loathing and wonder on this hateful land. Between them and the smoking mountain, and about it north and south, all seemed ruinous and dead, a desert burned and choked.
–The Return of the King
Dire. This stage gets +4 quest points for each player.
The first treachery revealed each quest phase is immune to player card effects and gains surge.
There are reports of increased Orc activity around Ithilien, and you have been sent to investigate. You enter Osgiliath and cross the river. On the outskirts of the city, you see a horde that surpassses all expectations coming down the Morgul Road.
Setup: Search the encounter deck for 12 Scout cards, and add 3 per player (one of each title), to the staging area. Remove The Witch-king from the encounter deck and set him aside, out of play. Shuffle any unused Scout cards back into the encounter deck.
As the van of the army enters the city, some of the horde's outriders are aware of your presence, and head in your direction. Drawing back, your make a hasty retreat towards the river.
Players cannot travel to West Bank locations.
"Then warning trumpets were suddenly sounded, and echoed along the rocky shores. The cheering stopped and the joy was quickly turned to dread. So it was that the dragon did not find them quite unprepared." – The Hobbit
Setup: Shuffle all copies of Smaug into a separate Smaug Deck. Search the encounter deck for Lake-Town and add it to the staging area. Shuffle the encounter deck. Then reveal 1 card from the encounter deck per player, and add it to the staging area.
Smaug cannot have more than 6 damage on him.
When Revealed: Deal 1 damage to Lake-Town for each player in the game.
The Lord of Lamedon has asked you to assist him in discovering the whereabouts of his lost son, Derufin. He hasn't been seen for days, and his father fears he may be in grave peril. Your search has led you to the Blackroot Vale, where the people live in dread of the Dead Men of Dunharrow.
Setup: Make Tarlang's Next the active location. Set Derufin, The Lord of the Dead, The Stone of Erech, and the 3 Night objectives aside, out of play. Shuffle the encounter deck. Place Eventide into play, next to the current quest.
When Revealed: Reveal 1 encounter card per player, adding them to the staging area.
Players cannot defeat this stage while Tarlang's Next is in play.
After being pursued through the Shire by mysterious riders in black, Frodo and his friends decide that the safest way for them to continue their journey to Rivendell is to travel through the Old Forest.
Setup: Set Old Man Willow and Withywindle aside, out of play. Each player searches the encounter deck and adds 1 different location to the staging area. Shuffle the encounter deck.
When Revealed: Each player draws 1 card. Advance to a random stage 2A.
"You have left the Shire, and are now outside, and on the edge of the Old Forest." –Merry, The Fellowship of the Ring
Setup: Add Stalking the Ruins and 1 copy of Abandoned Mine per player to the staging area. Set Lurker of the Depths, NaurlhĂ»g, NaurlhĂ»gâs Lair, and Sword of Belegost aside, out of play. Randomly select 1 of the 5 remaining
UNRECOGNIZED TYPE: trait-searchkeyword
&CardType=Objective@Loot} objectives and place it facedown underneath Stalking the Ruins (without looking). Shuffle the others into the encounter deck (without looking at them).You have entered the dark, half–sunken ruins of Belegost in search of powerful artifacts and ancient treasure.
The player cannot advance unless they control at least 1 Loot objective.
Forced: At the beginning of the travel phase, if there are no locations in play, return the topmost location in the encounter discard pile to the staging area.
Forced: When this stage is defeated, if Keys of Belegost is attached to a hero, advace to stage 2C. Otherwise, advance to Stage 2A.
Inside the Dwarven city, you can feel an evil presence stalking you...
Setup: Set each copy of Great Barrow, Standing Stones, and Hollow Circle aside, out of play. Shuffle the encounter deck.
After rescuing the hobbits from Old Man Willow, Tom Bombadil has invited Frodo and his friends to stay the night in his house. There they are greeted warmly by his wife, Goldberry, the River–daughter.
Skip the quest phase.
Forced: At the end of the round, place 1 progress on this stage.
"Let us shit out the night!" she said. "For you are still afraid, perhaps, of mist and tree–shadows and deep water, and untame things. Fear nothing! For tonight you are under the roof of Tom Bombadil."
–The Fellowship of the Ring
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.
An army from Angmar marches on the DĂșnedain capital of AnnĂșminas. You rush to prepare the defenses as best you can before the Orcs reach the city.
Setup: Set Lieutenant of Angmar Battering Ram, Enemy Camp Siege Tunnel, each copy of Host Angmar and each copy of DĂșnedain of AnnĂșminas aside, out of play. Each player searches the encounter deck for a different location and adds it to the staging area. One of those locations must be Gate of AnnĂșminas. Shuffle the encounter deck.
Many hands hurry to reinforce the gate with heavy timbers and large stones while the enemy draws steadily nearer.
Forced: At the beginning of the round (before the resource phase), place 1 resource here. Then, if there are 4 resources here, advance to stage 2.
Response: At the end of the round, remove 10 progress from this stage to increase the city strength of AnnĂșminas by 10.
An army from Angmar marches on the DĂșnedain city of AnnĂșminas. You ring the alarm bells and hurry to gather what strength you can.
Setup: Set Lieutenant of Angmar Battering Ram, Enemy Camp Siege Tunnel, each copy of Host of Angmar and each copy of DĂșnedain of AnnĂșminas 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. Add each enemy and location discarded in this way to the staging area.
You race along the shores of Lake Nenuial to gather the DĂșnedain inside the walls. "To arms!" you shout. "Everyone into the city! Angmar approaches!"
Forced: At the beginning of the round (before the resource phase), place 1 resource here. Then, if there are 4 resources here, advance to stage 2.
Response: At the end of the round, remove 10 progress from this stage. Then, the first player at each stage takes control of a set aside DĂșnedain of AnnĂșminas.
An army from Angmar marches on the DĂșnedain city of AnnĂșminas. Your friends need time to prepare the defense, so you ride out to meet the enemy.
Setup: Set Lieutenant of Angmar Battering Ram, Enemy Camp Siege Tunnel, each copy of Host of Angmar and each copy of DĂșnedain of AnnĂșminas aside, out of play. Each player searches the encounter deck for a different enemy and adds it to the staging area. One of these enemies must be Vanguard of Carn Dâm. Shuffle the encounter deck.
It's up to you to harry the Orcs and slow their approach to the city.
Forced: At the beginning of the round (before the resource phase), place 1 resource here. Then, if there are 4 resources here, advance to stage2.Response: At the end of the round, remove 10 progress from this stage, then the players at each other stage reveal 1 fewer encounter card during their next quest phase (to a minimum of 0).
The Dark Lord of Mordor has declared war across Middle–earth. His NazgĂ»l lead the Morgul host against Minas Tirith in the south, while Easterlings lay siege to Erebor in the north. And in a move long–prepared, the armies of Dol Guldur cross the Anduin to assault LĂłrien...
Setup: Set Host of LĂłrien and all 4 Lieutenant enemies aside, out of play. Add Power of LĂłrien and 1 copy of Dol Guldur Marauder per player to the staging area. Shuffle the encounter deck.
Forced: At the end of the round, place 1 resource here and move all progress from this stage to Power of LĂłrien. If there are 3 resources here, advance to stage 2A.
Response: At the end of the round, raise each player's threat by 1 to choose a stage. Each player at that stage draws 1 card and adds 1 resource to a hero's resource pool.
Concerned about the growing darkness in southern Mirkwood, Radagast sent an Eagle to spy on Dol Guldur. When the Eagle returned with an evil wound, the Wizard sent word to the White Council and asked for heroes to investigate.
Setup: Add Rhosgobel to the staging area. The opposing team searches the encounter deck for one different 0 cost enemy or 0 cost location per player and adds them to the staging area. Shuffle the encounter deck.
You are on your way to Rhosgobel in answer to Radagast's summons, but the deepening shadows of Mirkwood threaten to envelope you before you even reach the Wizard's sanctuary.
Forced: When Rhosgobel is explored, flip it over and add Rider of Mirkwood to the staging area.
This stage cannot be defeated while Rhosgobel is in play.
You are traveling through Mirkwood forest in search of The Elvenking's hidden halls, when you hear a desperate cry for help from a dark path of woods.
Setup: Add Spider Den to the staging area. The opposing team searches the encounter deck for one different 0 cost enemy or 0 cost location per player and adds it to the staging area. Shuffle the encounter deck.
The cries are those of an Elf who has been captured within a spider den. You must rescue him!
Forced: When Spider Den is explored, flip it over and put Mendor into play under the first player's control, ready.
This stage cannot be defeated unless the first player controls Mendor.
It has been years since there was news of Balin's expedition to Moria, but in recent months there have been rumors of growing darkness there. You traveled to the Mines to investigate these tidings. Upon reaching the Doors of Durin, you are surprised to find a foul–smelling pool at its feet, and a fell creature blocking your way.
Setup: Each player adds 1 resource to each of his heroes' resource pools. Add The Watcher to the staging area.
While this stage has at least 5 progress on it, The Watcher is considered to be engaged with each player and attacks each player in turn order during the combat phase. (Deal and resolve a shadow card for each attack.)
Forced: When The Watcher is defeated, flip it over and add Chamber of Mazarbul to the staging area.
This stage cannot be defeated while The Watcher is in play.
It has been years since there was news of Balin's expedition to Moria, but in recent months there have been rumors of growing darkness there. You traveled to the Mines to investigate these tidings. Upon reaching the Doors of Durin, you are surprised to find a foul–smelling pool at its feet, and a fell creature blocking your way.
Setup: Each player adds 1 resource to each of his heroes' resource pools. Add The Watcher to the staging area.
While this stage has at least 5 progress on it, The Watcher is considered to be engaged with each player and attacks each player in turn order during the combat phase. (Deal and resolve a shadow card for each attack.)
Forced: When The Watcher is defeated, flip it over and add Chamber of Mazarbul to the staging area.
This stage cannot be defeated while The Watcher is in play.
You entered Moria with the hope of finding Mithril, but you have become lost underground instead. Below the ancient mansions of the Dwarves, untold dangers lurk in the darkness.
Setup: Add Dark Pit to the staging area. The opposing team searches the encounter deck for one different 0-cost enemy or location per player and adds them to the staging area. Shuffle the encounter deck.
Surrounded by utter black and running low on supplies, you must find your way out of Khazad–dâm before it's too late.
Forced: When Dark Pit is explored, flip it over and set Durin's Bane aside, out of play. Each player searches the top 5 cards of his deck for a card, adds it to his hand, and shuffles his deck.
This stage cannot be defeated while Dark Pit is in play.
Setup: Set aside each side quest and each location with the safe keyword. Reveal 1 of those side quests and 1 of those safe locations at random, adding them to the staging area with the safe location guarded by the side quest. Shuffle the remaining side quests and safe location into the encounter deck. Discard cards from the top of the encounter deck until X enemies are discarded, where X is the number of players in the game. Add the discarded enemies to the staging area. The first player gains control of AmarthiĂșl.
You have escaped from the prisons of Mount Gram, but you are not safe yet.
Forced: At the beginning of the quest phase, if there are no encounter side quests in play, discard cards from the top of the encounter deck until a side quest is discarded, reveal it, and add it to the staging area.