"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.
Bard and some of the nimblest of men and elves climbed to the height of the Eastern shoulder to gain a view of the North. Soon they could see the lands before the Mountain's feet black with a hurrying multitude. –The Hobbit
Players cannot advance from this stage unless stage 3 and stage 4 are complete.
Forced: If there is no progress on this stage at the end of the round, each player must discard 1 random card from his hand.
As soon as the host of their enemies was dense in the valley, they sent against it a shower of arrows, and each flickered as it fled as if with stinging fire. Behind the arrows a thousand of their spearmen leapt down and charged. The yells were deafening. The rocks were stained black with goblin blood. –The Hobbit
Battle. (Characters may use 
instead of 
when questing here.)
Players cannot advance from this stage unless stage 2 and stage 4 are complete.
Forced: If there is no progress on this stage at the end of the round, the first player adds the topmost enemy in the discard pile to the staging area, if able.
On all this Bilbo looked with misery. He had taken his stand on Ravenhill among the Elves – partly because there was more chance of escape from that point, and partly (with the more Tookish part of his mind) because if he was going to be in a last desperate stand, he preferred on the whole to defend the Elvenking. –The Hobbit
Siege. Characters may use 
instead of when questing here.)
Players cannot advance from this stage unless stage 2 and stage 3 are complete.
Forced: If there is no progress on this stage at the end of the round, each player must discard all resources from each hero's resource pool.
Soon the attackers were attacked, and they were forced into a great ring, facing every way, hemmed all about with goblins and wolves returning to the assault. The bodyguard of Bolg came howling against them, and drove in upon their ranks like waves upon cliffs of sand. –The Hobbit
When Revealed: Each player must search the encounter deck and discard pile for a copy of Bodyguard of Bolg and add it to the staging area, if able. Shuffle the encounter deck.
Progress cannot be placed in this stage. While Bolg is in the staging area, it is considered to be engaged with the first player.
If Bolg is destroyed, the players win the game.
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.
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.
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.
–Strider, The Fellowship of the Ring
His plan, as far as they could understand it without knowing the country, was to go towards Archet at first, but to bear right and pass it on the east, and then to steer as straight as he could over the wild lands to Weathertop Hill. In that way they would, if all went well, cut off a great loop of the Road, which further on bent southwards to avoid the Midgewater Marshes. But, of course, they would have to pass through the marshes themselves, and Strider's description of them was not encouraging. -The Fellowship of the Ring
When Revealed: Add Midgewater to the staging area. Each player places 1 progress on the current quest.
Forced: At the end of the round, eithe remove X progress from the current quest or shuffle 1 out of play Ringwraith into the encounter deck. X is the number of players in the game.
The players cannot advance while Midgewater is in play.
Strider has led Frodo and his companions to Weathertop where he hopes to meet Gandalf. Instead, they find the Black Riders waiting for them. As the sun goes down, the Nazgûl close in on their prey.
When Revealed: Add Weathertop and The Witch-king to the staging area. Search the encounter deck and discard pile and add each Nazgûl enemy found to the staging area. Shuffle the encounter deck.
If there are no Nazgûl enemies in play, the players win the game.
There were five tall figures: two standing on the lip of the dell, three advancing. In their white faces burned keen and merciless eyes; under their mantles were long grey robes; upon their grey hairs were helms of silver; in their haggard hands were swords of steel. Their eyes fell on him and pierced him, as they rushed towards him. Desperate, he drew his own sword...
–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.
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!
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.
Having barely escaped from Moria, the Company of the Ring flees into the forest of Lórien 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 river has carried the Company as far as it can and the time has come for Frodo to choose which way to go. He asks for an hour to decide, but after he disappears Orcs are discovered prowling the woods and the Company scatters to find him...
When Revealed: Remove the Ring-bearer and each card attached to it, from the game (treat The One Ring's text as blank while resolving this effect). Reduce each enemy's engagement cost to 0 until the end of the encounter phase. Skip the travel phase this round.
Forced: At the end of the refresh phase, shuffle Seat of Seeing and Forod's Choice into the encounter discard pile. Then, place the encounter discard pile on the bottom of the encounter deck. Starting with the first player, each player creates his own staging area and advances to a different stage 3A of his choice. In player order, each player moves 1 encounter card from this staging area to his. When there are no encounter cards left at this stage, discard it.
Sam had dashed off first. Merry and Pippin had followed, and were already disappearing westward into the trees by the shore, shouting: Frodo! Frodo! in their clear, high hobbit–voices. –The Fellowship of the Ring
Forced: After stage 2B is discarded, if the total 
of the encounter cards in this staging area is less than 4, reveal 1 encounter card.
If Frodo's Choice is not in play, any time players would place progress on this quest, discard an equal number of cards from the encounter deck instead.
Forced: After Frodo's Choice is revealed at this stage, advance to stage 4A.
Response: After you quest successfully, discard a non-unique location in the staging area.
"Boromir! I do not know what part you have played in this mischief, but help now! Go after those two young hobbits, and guard them at the least, even if you cannot find Frod." –Aragorn, The Fellowship of the Ring
Forced: After stage 2B is discarded, if the total of encounter cards in this staging area is less than 4, reveal 1 encounter card.
If Frodo's Choice is not in play, any time players would place progress on this quest, discard an equal number of cards from the encounter deck instead.
Forced: After Frodo's Choice is revealed at this stage, advance to stage 4A.
Response: After you quest successfully, choose a player. Ready each of that player's heroes.
"I am going to the top, to the Seat of Amon Hen, to see what may be seen. And look! It is as my heart guessed, Frodo went this way. Follow me, and keep your eyes open!" –Aragorn, The Fellowship of the Ring
Forced: After stage 2B is discarded, if the total of encounter cards in this staging area is less than 4, reveal 1 encounter card.
If Frodo's Choice is not in play, any time players would place progress on this quest, discard an equal number of cards from the encounter deck instead.
Forced: After Frodo's Choice is revealed at this stage, advance to stage 4A.
Response: After you quest successfully, choose a player. That player draws 2 cards and lowers his threat by 2.
So it was that Legolas and Gimli found him. They came from the western slopes of the hill, silently, creeping through the trees as if they were hunting. Gimli had his axe in hand, and Legolas his long knife: all his arrows were spent. –The Two Towers
Forced: After stage 2B is discarded, if the total of encounter cards in this staging area is less than 4, reveal 1 encounter card.
If Frodo's Choice is not in play, any time players would place progress on this quest, discard an equal number of cards from the encounter deck instead.
Forced: After Frodo's Choice is revealed at this stage, advance to stage 4A.
Response: After you quest successfully, discard an enemy engaged with a player.
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 Théoden, 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, Théoden son of Thengel! I have returned. For behold! the storm comes, and now all friends should gather together..." –Gandalf, The Two Towers
As dawn breaks in the East, a blast from Helm's Horn echoes in the valley and the Riders of Rohan charge out from Helm's Gate with King Théoden and Aragorn at their head.
When Revealed: Shuffle the encounter discard pile into the encounter deck. Discard cards from the encounter deck until X enemies are discarded. X is the number of players. Add each enemy discarded this way to the staging area.
Skip the quest phase. Players cannot reduce their threat.
If there are no enemies in play, the players win the game.
With a cry and a great noise they charged. Down from the gates they roared, over the causeway they swept, and they drove through the hosts of Isengard as a wind among grass. –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.
"To Isengard! Though Isengard be ringed and barred with doors of stone;
Though Isengard be strong and hard, as cold as stone and bare as bone,
We go, we go, we go to war, to hew the stone and break the door;
For bole and bough are burning now, the furnace roars – we go to war!"
–The Ents, The Two Towers
When Revealed: Make Gates of Isengard the active location. Add Saruman and Orthanc to the staging area.
The players cannot travel to Orthanc.
Forced: After a non-unique location is explored, place 1 damage here. Then, if there are 5 damage tokens here, advance to stage 3A.
Quest Action: Exhaust Ent of Fangorn to place 2 progress on a non-unique location.
The power of Saruman must be broken and the fortress of Isengard destroyed!
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 card’s
Things would have gone ill with Sam, if he had been alone. But Frodo sprang up, and drew Sting from its sheath. —The Two Towers
The Hobbits soon found that what had looked like one vast fen was really an endless network of pools, and soft mires, and winding half–strangled watercourses. Among these a cunning eye and foot could thread a wandering path. -The Two Towers
When Revealed: If the number of locations in the staging area is less than the number of players in the game, discard cards from the encounter deck until a location is discarded. Add the discarded location to the staging area.
Progress cannot be placed on locations in the staging area.
The players cannot advance unless the first player controls Sméagol and there are at least 4 locations in the victory display.
Forced: At the end of the staging step, if the number of locations in the staging area is less than the number of players in the game, reveal the top card of the encounter deck.
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.
Horns, horns, horns. In dark Mindolluin's sides they dimly echoed. Great horns of the North wildly blowling. Rohan had come at last.
–The Return of the King
When Revealed: Set the Witch-king aside, out of play. Each player searches the top 10 cards of his deck for an ally that matches the sphere of a hero he controls and put it into play under his control. Each player shuffles his deck.
...the hosts of Mordor wailed, and terror took them, and they fled, and died, and the hoofs of wrath rode over them. –The Return of the King
Progress cannot be placed on this stage by questing successfully is instead assigned as damage among enemies in play. (Progress must be placed on the active location first.)
Forced: At the end of the quest phase, advance to stage 5A.
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–d–r 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.
He gave a great cry, and turned, leaded upon his steed, and with his company galloped madly back to Cirith Gorgor. But as they went his soldiers blew their horns in signal long arranged: and even before they came to the gate Sauron sprang his trap. –The Return of the King
When Revealed: Each player searches the encounter deck and discard pile for a different Orc, Troll, or Nazgûl enemy and adds it to the staging area. Shuffle Gwaihir into the encounter deck.
Dire. During the staging step, the first player does not reveal an encounter card as normal. Instead, he reveals 1 encounter card for each resource on The Black Gate.
Forced: After the players quest unsuccessfully, discard the active location.
This stage cannot be defeated. Each round the players survive gives the Ring-bearer more time to fulfill the quest to Mount Doom.
They had gone some miles, and the road was at last running down a long slope into a plain, when Frodo's strength began to give out and his will wavered. He lurched and stumbled. Desperately Sam tried to help him and hold him up...
–The Return of the King
When Revealed: Search the encounter deck and discard pile and victory display for Mordor Road and add it to the staging area. Shuffle the encounter discard pile into the encounter deck and travel to Mordor Road.
Dire. Forced: After placing progress here from questing successfully, each player makes a Fortitude test. If a player passes this test, he places a resource here. If a player fails this test, he discards cards from the top of the encounter deck until an enemy is discarded and puts that enemy into play engaged with him.
At the end of the quest phase, if the number of resources here is equal to or greater than the number of players, advance to stage 3A.
He was come to the heart of the realm of Sauron and the forges of his ancient might, greatest in Middle–earth; all other powers were here subdued.
–The Return of the King
When Revealed: Shuffle the encounter discard pile into the encounter deck and discard cards from the top until X enemies are discarded, where X is the number of players. Add each enemy discarded this way to the staging area.
Dire. Allies cannot enter play and 'when revealed' effects cannot be canceled.
Forced: When Mount Doom is explored, the first player makes a Fortitude test. Discard 1 extra encounter card for each player. If the first player fails this test, the Ring-bearer claims The One Ring and the players lose the game. If the test is successful, the Ring-bearer completes the quest and the players win the game.
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
"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: At the beginning of the planning phase, each player must exhaust a hero he controls.
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.
"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: At the beginning of the ropund, remove all progress from each location in play.
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.
"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: At the end of the round, discard a random location from the victory display.
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.
"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.
Setup: Add Stalking the Ruins and 1 copy of Abandoned Mine per player to the staging area. Set Lurker of the Depths, Naurlhûg, Naurlhûg’s 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...
When Revealed: Add Lurker of the Depths to the staging area.
As you explore the partially flooded ruins of Belegost, you feel something wet and leathery brush past your leg. The sound of thrashing water echoes from somewhere in the darkness ahead of you, when suddenly a horde of slimy, black tentacles strike at you!
The players cannot advance unless they control at least 2 Loot objectives and Lurker of the Depths is in the victory display.
Forced: When this stage is defeated, if Book of Aulë's Children is attached to a hero, advance to stage 3C. Otherwise, advance to stage 3A.
Some hideous creature of a forgotten age attacks your party. You must defeat it if you hope to leave Belegost alive.
The keys you discovered unlock a passage that leads deeper into the mines of Belegost. As you descend further into the Dwarven city, you marvel at the enormity of its size and the complexity of its design.
When Revealed: Shuffle Lurker of the Depths and the encounter discard pile into the encounter deck. Discard cards from the top of the encounter deck until a location is discarded. Add the discarded location to the staging area.
You must carefully explore the ruins to ensure you don't miss anything.
The player cannot advance unless they control at least 2 Loot objectives and there are at least 3 resources here.
Forced: After the active location is explored, place 1 resource here.
Forced: When this stage is defeated, if Book of Aul‰'s Children is attached to a hero, advance to stage 3E. Otherwise, advance to stage 3C.
When Revealed: Add Naurlhûg and Naurlhûg’s Lair to the staging area. Shuffle the Sword of Belegost, and the encounter discard pile into the encounter deck.
After fleeing the breaking of Thangorodrim, the great worm Naurlhûg hid itself in the ruins of Belegost. The fire dragon hoarded the wealth it found there into a giant, golden bed at the center of a large, underground lake. If you wish to claim the treasure for yourself, then you must slay Naurlhûg.
While Naurlhûg's Lair is in the victory display, Naurlhûg loses the text: "Cannot take damage."
Forced: After Naurlhûg attacks, if it was dealt a shadow card with no shadow effect, it engages the next player. Then, it makes an immediate attack. Do not deal it a shadow card for this attack.
When Naurlhûg is defeated, the players win the game.
Your investigation has uncovered a small but dangerous web of criminals lurking in the shadows of Bree-land. You suspect the killer you seek is the leader of this outlaw gang. It is imperative that you find the rogue and bring him to justice.
When Revealed: Shuffle the encounter discard pile into the encounter deck and discard cards from the top of the encounter deck until X locations are discarded. X is the number of players in the game. Add each discarded location to the staging area.
Forced: After the players quest unsuccessfully, choose 1 random card from the investigation deck and remove it from the game (without looking at it).
Forced: After the players place progress on this stage from questing successfully, the first player must choose: either reveal an encounter card and remain at this stage, or make the accusation (see rules) and advance to stage 3A.
You've discovered the identity of the killer and the location of the rogue's secret hideout, but the villain is aware of your pursuit. You must move swiftly to apprehend the brigand!
When Revealed: Each player besides the first player searches the encounter deck and discard pile for a Brigand enemy and adds it to the staging area. Shuffle the encounter deck.
Ignore the Investigate keyword when the active location is explored.
Forced: At the beginning of the encounter phase, each Suspect enemy in play engages the first player.
While at least 1 Hideout location is in play, Suspect enemies cannot take damage. If there are no Suspect enemies in play, the players win the game.
An army from Angmar marches on the Dúnedain capital of Annúminas. 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 Dúnedain of Annúminas 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 Annúminas. 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 Annúminas by 10.
You've held back the host of Angmar, but a dark figure appears to lead the final assault. With a terrifying cry, he orders a battering ram against the gate. The old timbers won't endure for long, so you rally your troops for a desperate counter–attack. It's victory or death!
When Revealed: Shuffle the encounter discard pile into the encounter deck. The first player adds Battering Ram and Lieutenant of Angmar to the staging area. Each player reveals an encounter card.
Progress cannot be placed here while Battering Ram 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 a victory display at the end of the round, the players have routed the enemy and win the game.
An army from Angmar marches on the Dúnedain city of Annúminas. 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 Dúnedain of Annúminas 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 Dúnedain 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 Dúnedain of Annúminas.
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.
An army from Angmar marches on the Dúnedain city of Annúminas. 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 Dúnedain of Annúminas 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 D–m. 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).