You are playing in Campaign Mode.
Setup: Each player may change hero cards he controls without incurring the +1 threat penalty. The players have earned the boon cards: Sting, Mithril Shirt, Glamdring, and Andúril. Each player chooses one and adds it to his hand. If any of those boon cards remain unchosen, shuffle them into the first player's deck.
"I think that this task is appointed for you, Frodo; and that if you do not find a way, no one will." –Elrond, The Fellowship of the Ring
Resolution: If Lust for the Ring is attached to a hero, the players have earned that burden.
They were just in time. Sam and Frodo were only a few steps up, and Gandalf had just begun to climb, when the groping tentacles writhed across the narrow shore and fingered the cliff–wall and the doors. One came wriggling over the threshold, glistening in the starlight. Gandalf turned and paused. If he was considering what word would close the gate again from within, there was no need. Many coiling arms seized the doors on either side, and with horrible strength, swung them round. With a shattering echo they slammed, and all light was lost. –The Fellowship of the Ring
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.
The Council decides The One Ring must be cast into Mount Doom. Frodo is appointed eight companions to help him compete this quest and the Company of the Ring sets out from Rivendell into Hollin on their way to Mordor...
When Revealed: Make Redhorn Pass the active location. The first player reveals cards from the encounter deck until there is at least X
in the staging area. X is twice the number of players in the game.
During the travel phase, the players must travel to a location, if able.
Forced: After an enemy engages a player, place 1 damage on the active location, if able.
"Hollin is no longer wholesome for us: it is being watched." –Aragorn, The Fellowship of the Ring
Suddenly Aragorn leapt to his feet, "How the wind howls!" he cried. "It is howling with wolf–voices. The Wargs have come west of the Mountains!" –The Fellowship of the Ring
When Revealed: Each player searches the encounter deck and discard pile for an enemy and adds it to the staging area. One of those enemies must be Great Warg Chief, if able. Shuffle the encounter deck.
During the travel phase, the players must travel to a location, if able.
Forced: After an enemy engages a player, place 1 damage on the active location, if able.
The Fellowship is being hunted by Wargs!
Pursued by evil Wargs and foul weather, the Company of the Ring decides to enter the Mines of Moria. But as they seek the hidden gate, a foul creature seizes the Ring–bearer with one of its many groping arms...
When Revealed: Make Doors of Durin the active location. Add Watcher in the Water to the staging area. Discard all tokens from the Ring-bearer and place it (and each card attached to it) facedown under Watcher in the Water.
There can be 2 active locations. During the travel phase, the players must travel to a location, if able.
Forced: After an enemy engages a player, place 1 damage on each active location.
If Doors of Durin is explored, the players win the game.
The Fellowship is being hunted by Wargs!
6
5
12
Indestructible. Immune to player card effects.
Cannot leave the staging area but is considered to be engaged with each player.
Forced: After placing the 6th damage here, the first player takes control of the Ring-bearer, exhausted with 1 damage on it.
5
3
6
Cannot have attachments.
Forced: After Great Warg Chief enages you, discard cards from the encounter deck until a Warg enemy is discarded. Put that enemy into play engaged with you.
4
1
3
Hound of Sauron gets -5 engagement cost for each enemy in the staging area.
Shadow: Attacking enemy gets +1 (+2 instead if it was engaged with round).
3
2
4
Forced: After Howling Warg attacks, place 1 damage on an active location.
Shadow: Attacking enemy gets +1 If this attack destroys a character, place 1 damage on an active location.
1
1
2
When Revealed: Either exhaust a hero you control, or engaged Crebain from Dunland.
Forced: After Crebain from Dunland engages a player, reveal the top card of the encounter deck.
Immune to player card effects.
Forced: When Redhorn Pass is explored, each player assigns X damage among characters he controls. X is the number of damage here.
"We may well be seen by watchers on that narrow path..." –Gandalf, The Fellowship of the Ring
Immune to player card effects.
Progress cannot be placed on each other active location before it can be placed here. Progress cannot be placed here unless the first player controls the Ring-bearer.
If there are 9 damage tokens, the players lose the game.
While Tree-crowned hill is the active location, each enemy gets -1
Forced: When Tree-crowned hill is explored, the players, as a group, exhaust X characters in play. X is the number of damage here.
For their defense in the night the Company climbed to the top of the small hill... –The Fellowship of the Ring
While Hills of Hollin is the active location, each enemy in the staging area gets +5 engagement cost.
Forced: When Hills of Hollin is explored, each player raises his threat by 1 for each damage here.
For their defense in the night the Company climbed to the top of the small hill... –The Fellowship of the Ring
While Hills of Hollin is the active location, it gains:"Forced: After an enemy is added to the staging area, it gets -5 engagement cost until the end of the round."
Forced: When Redhorn Foothills is explored, each player must discard X cards from his hand at random. X is the number of damage here.
Forced: When Eregion is explored, the players, as a group, must discard X allies from play. X is the number of damage here.
Shadow: Defending player discards a non-objective attachment he controls.
When Revealed: Place 3 damage on each active location.
Shadow: Undefended damage from this attack must be assigned to the active location.
"I think they are spying out the land." –Aragorn, The Fellowship of the Ring
When Revealed: Attach to the active location. (Countss as a Condition attachment with the text, "Limit 1 per location. No more than 3 progress can be placed on attached location each round.") If Snowdrifts is not attached to the active location, it gains surge.
Soon even Boromir found it hard to keep going. –The Fellowship of the Ring
When Revealed: Each player must choose: either discard each ally he controls, or raise his threat by 1 for each ally he controls.
Shadow: Attacking enemy makes an additional attack after this one.
When Revealed: Either the Warg enemy in the staging area with the highest engagement cost attacks you, or each Warg enemy gets -20 engagement until the end of the round. If no Warg enemy is in the staging area, Storm of Howls gains surge.
You are playing Nightmare mode.
Setup: Set each copy of Pale-green Tentacle aside, out of play.
Forced: When the players advance to stage 4B, each player puts 1 copy of Pale-green Tentacle into play engaged with him. Shuffle any remaining copies, and the encounter discard pile, into the encounter deck.
Begin with the standard and encounter deck for The Ring Goes South scenario.
Remove the following cards, in the specified quantities, from the standard encounter deck:
2x Crebain from Dunland
2x Howling Warg
1x Tree-crowned Hill
3x Hills of Hollin
2x Snowdrifts
1x Storm of Howls
Then, shuffle the encounter cards in this Nightmare Deck into the remainder of the standard The Ring Goes South encounter deck.
Finally, flip this setup card over and place it next to the quest deck. Its effect remains active throughout the game, which is now ready to begin.
5
1
5
Cannot have attachments.
Watcher in the Water Cannot take damage.
Forced: After Pale-green Tentacle attacks and destroys a character, return Pale-green Tentacle to the staging area.
4
3
5
Cannot have attachments or be optionally engaged.
While Hunting Hawk is in the staging area it gains,"Forced: After a player plays an ally, he must either exhaust it, or place 1 damage on an active location."
4
3
4
When Revealed: Misty Mountain Warg makes an immediate attack against you. If it destroys a character, place 2 damage on each active location.
Shadow: If this attack destroys a character, place 1 damage on an active location.
X is 1 more than the number of enemies in play.
Forced: When Expanse of Hollin is explored, shuffle the encounter discard pile into the encounter deck. Then, discard the top card of the encounter deck for each damage here. Add each enemy discarded by this effect to the staging area.
Forced: After a "when revealed" effect is cancelled, place 1 damage on each active location.
Forced: When Slopes of Hithaeglir is explored, each player raises his threat by 1 for each damage here.
When Revealed: Either raise your threat by 6, or engage the lowest engagement cost enemy in the staging area and reveal an encounter card.
