POD Quest 011: The Woodland Realm

 Opening Thoughts

The Woodland Realm just showed up in the mail and, despite owning them in a previous collection, I realized I never gave any of the custom scenario packs a crack. This seems like a good opportunity to try out my latest Outlands build.

I am also taking this show on the road! My son and I are heading off for a short summer vacation and it's been a while since I was jamming a game out on a hotel table.

The Decks

Outlandish!

Heroes
Elrond 
Hirluin the Fair 

Contract
1x  Messenger of the King

Allies
3x  Anfalas Herdsman
2x  Envoy of Pelargir (HoN)
3x  Ethir Swordsman
1x  Faramir (Core)
1x  Forlong
3x  Gandalf (Core)
1x  Gildor Inglorion (HoEM)
1x  Henamarth Riversong (Core)
3x  Hunter of Lamedon
3x  Knights of the Swan
2x  Warden of Healing
3x  Warrior of Lossarnach

Attachments
1x  A Burning Brand
3x  Steward of Gondor (Core)
3x  Vilya (SaF)

Events
2x  A Good Harvest
3x  A Very Good Tale (OHaUH)
3x  Daeron's Runes (FoS)
3x  Deep Knowledge
2x  Heed the Dream
1x  Men of the West
3x  Sneak Attack (Core)

RingsDB

The Quest

Ready to roll some dice and see what fate builds for me!

player setup
Selected Forlong for Messenger of the King (only a threat of 5!). 
Set starting threat to 26
Opening hand: Anfalas Herdsman, Warrior of Lossarnach, Sneak Attack, Gildor Inglorion, Gandalf, A Burning Brand, Gandalf. Two Outlands allies and Gandalf for card draw (or damage, if really needed). Seems good!

encounter setup

I laid out the stage 2 and 3 options, then rolled a D20 with each card assigned a set of 8. 9 was rolled for stage 2, so the middle option was picked. 

Then a d20 was rolled to pick the seven encounter sets, with rerolls as needed until seven options between 1-14 were chosen: 3, 1, 8, 10, 11, 12, 7

Shuffle up. Stage 1A: I search the deck for a challenging zero cost location or enemy and add Mountains of Mirkwood to the staging area. Advance to 1B.

Round 1

Resources and card: Sneak Attack. Alright, time to get a full grip of cards going. 

Anfalas Herdsman goes down.

Questing phase! I sneak in Gandalf, opting to draw three cards: Envoy of Pelargir, Vilya, A Good Harvest. Not the craziest of hands. 

Questing with Gandalf and Elrond for a total of 7. Reveal: Mirkwood Flock. Surge. Mirkwood Flock. Surge.Pack of Wargs. Total threat: 7.  No progress placed (but no threat raised). Gandalf returns to hand.

Travel to Mountains of Mirkwood (enough enemies in the staging area right now).

2x Mirkwood Flock engage me. Shadow cards are dealt. Sneak Attack Gandalf in again to defeat one of the Flock. Gandalf will defeat the other in a bit.

Mirkwood Flock attacks! Hirluin defends. Shadow: Return to staging after attack. Dagnabbit. Useless Gandalf returns to hand.

Ready. Raise threat to 27.

Round 2

Resources. Draw: Deep Knowledge

Play Deep Knowledge, raising threat to 29, and drawing: Daeron's Runes, A Good Harvest. Play Daeron's Runes, drawing: Hunter of Lamedon, A Very Good Tale. Discard: A Very Good Harvest. Play Envoy of Pelargir, adding a resource to Elrond. Play Warrior of Lossnarch. Play A Very Good Tale, exhausting Envoy and Warrior. Discard:  Hunter of Lamedon, Deep Knowledge, Deep Knowledge, Faramir, Ethir Swordsman. Shoot. Farmir is hard to say by to, but I do need more allies in this swarm deck. Hunter and Ethir go into play.

Holding Hunter of Lamedon back and questing with everyone else for a total of 10. Reveal: Despair, which blanks text boxes. Total willpower lowered to 6. 5 in the staging, so one progress placed on the active location.

Mirkwood Flock engages me. Shadow card dealt. Hunter of Lamedon defends. Shadow: Return to staging after attack (booo). Hunter is destroyed and the Flock goes back to staging.

Ready. Raise threat to 30.

Round 3

Resources. Card: Sneak Attack. Play Vilya on Elrond.

Envoy and Elrond stay up. All Outlands characters quest for a total of 9. Reveal Black Forest Bats. Hirluin is removed from questing, lowering willpower to 7. Total threat: 6. One progress placed on the active location (2/4). 

I optionally engage Pack of Wargs. Mirkwood Flock and Black Forest Bats engage me. Shadow cards dealt. I sneak in Gildor Inglorion and exhaust him to look at my top three cards: Gandalf, Warrior of Lossnach, Vilya. I exchange Vilya with Hunter of Lamoden. I re-order the cards: Warrior (bottom) -> Hunter (middle) -> Gandalf (top). Exhaust Elrond and Vilya to reveal Gandalf. Put him into play and deal four damage to the Black Forest Bats, destroying them.

Pack of Wargs attack! Envoy defends. Shadow: +1 attack and a new shadow card. New shadow: Blank. Wargs destroy Envoy, then make another attack. Gandalf defends. No damage dealt. Mirkwood flock attack undefended. Shadow: No effect. Two damage placed on Forlong. Gildor is returned to hand.

Well, I had hoped to eliminate a little more, but at least the staging area is super clear. With how fast my graveyard is filling up, I should have included 1x Will of the West. Lesson learned!

Gandalf is discarded. Ready. Raise threat to 31.

Round 4

Resources and draw: Hunter of Lamedon. Play Hunter of Lamedon. Discard and put Warrior of Lossarnach into play. Exhaust Elrond and Vilya to reveal: Daeron's Runes. Play it and draw: Head the Dream, Anfalast Heardsman. Discard: Vilya. Play A Good Harvest and Head the Dream. Search the top five cards and add Steward of Gondor to hand. I want to get Gildor down soon for Elrond shenanigans.

Quest: Committing 8 willpower of Outlands. Reveal: Dark-Wood Grove. Total threat: 4. Place 2 progress on Mountains of Mirkwood, exploring it. Place 2 progress on stage 1B (2/10). Travel to: Spider-den. Search deck for Black Forest Bats and add it to the staging area.

Black Forest Bats engage me. Shadow cards are dealt. 

Pack of Wargs attacks! Hunter of Lamedon defends. Shadow: Defending Character cannot ready. Hunter takes 1 damage.

Mirkwood Flock attacks! Warrior defends. Shadow: +1 attack. No damage dealt.

Black Forest Bats attack! Herdsman defends. Shadow: Additional attack if character destroyed. No damage dealt.

Ready (not you, Hunter of Lamedon). Raise threat to 32.

Round 5

Resources and card: Vilya. Steward of Gondor goes on Elrond and exhausts to give him two resources. A second Anfalas Herdsman is played. Elrond + Vilya put Gandalf into play, choosing to draw three cards: Envoy of Pelargir, Ethir Swordsman, A Very Good Tale. Swordsman #2 is played. Play A Very Good Tale, exhausting both Swordsmen and discarding: Knights of the Swan, Warrior of Lossarnach, Steward of Gondor, Hunter of Lamedon, Men of the West. Knights of the Swan and Warrior #3 are put into play. Forlong is now turned on! 10 Outlands allies in play now. Swarm be swarmin. 

Quest: Hirluin, Forlong, and two Warriors of Lossarnach for a total of 12 willpower. Reveal; Darkwood Grove. Total threat: 6. One progress is placed on Spider Den, exploring it. It is flipped over and Mendor is put into play under my control. Five progress is placed on stage 1B (7/10). No travel this round. I want to clear up the three enemies engaged with me and not risk adding more. 

Forlong readies. Shadow cards are dealt. 

Pack of Wargs attacks! An Anfalas Herdsman defends. Shadow: No effect. One damage dealt. Wargs attack agan and the other Herdsman defends, taking one damage.

Mirkwood Flock attacks! Knights of the Swan defend. Shadow: Discard an Ally if undefended. No damage dealt. 

Black Forest Bats attacks! A Warrior defends. Shadow: Discard an Ally if undefended. No damage dealt.

Forlong, Gandalf, and Mendor defeat the Pack of Wargs. 

Gandalf is discarded. Ready (you too, Hunter). Raise threat to 33. 

Round 6

Resources and card: Knights of the Swam. Steward gives Elrond two resources. Envoy of Pelargir is played, adding a resource to Elrond. Knights of the Swan are played. A Burning Brand is attacked to Forlong.

Quest: Hirluin, Forlong, Swordsmen x2, and a Herdsman quest for 14. Reveal: Giant Web, which becomes the active location. Total threat: 6. Four progress is played on the Giant Web, exploring it. Four progress is placed on 1B, exploring it. Advance to 2A: Find Despair in the top 5 cards and reveal it (a very punishing card for Outlands. Advance to 2B. 

No travel.

Shadow cards are dealt.

Black Forest Bats attack! Elrond defends. Shadow: Either raise threat by 2 or give enemy +2 attack. I go for threat, raising it to 35. No damage dealt.

Mirkwood Flock attack! Mendor defends. Shadow: None. No damage dealt.

Three Warriors of Lossarnach + Envoy destroy the Black Forest Bats. 

Ready. Raise threat to 36.

Round 7

Resources and card: Heed the Dream. Heed is played and a Herdsman is put into hand. Herdsman #3 is put into play. Elrond and Vilya are exhausted to reveal: Either Swordsman, who is put into play. Steward gives Elrond two more resources. 

Quest: Hirluin, Forlong, Mendor, and Swordsman x3 quest for 22. The Eves of Mirkwood. Total threat: 8. 10 progress is placed on 2B (stage limit). 

Eves of Mirkwood is traveled to. Random discard: Vilya (yes!). 

Shadow card is dealt to Mirkwood Flock. Flock attacks! A Warrior defends. Shadow: Exhaust a character (Envoy). No damage dealt. Both Knights of the Swan destroy the Flock. 

Ready. Raise threat to 37.

Round 8

Resources and draw: Envoy of Pelargir. Envoy #2 is played, adding a resource to Elrond. Steward adds two more resources to Elrond. Gildor Inglorion is played and exhausted to reveal: Knights of the Swan, Warden of Healing, Steward of Gondor. Gandalf (in hand) is switched with Knights of the Swan. Cards are replaced: Gandalf (bottom) -> Steward -> Warden (top). Elrond and Vilya echaust to put Warden of Healing into play. Knights of the Swan is played. Full Outland is achieved! 

EXODIA!

Questing: The same characters as last round + Hunter of Lamedon commit 26. Reveal: Ungoliant's Spider. Total threat: 9. Four progress is placed on The Eaves of Mirkwood, exploring it. Ten progress is placed on stage 2B, exploring it. Advance to 3A: Enchanted Stream is set aside and revealed (this will delay me a round). 

Travel to Darkwood Grove. Encounter card revealed: Turned Around. No progress removed from 3B, but it now has 25 quest points.

Optionally engage Ungoliant's Spawn & deal it a shadow card. Attack! An Envoy of Pelagir defends. Shadow: +3 attack. Envoy is very dead. Various Outlanders gang up on the Spider, killing it.

Warden of Healing removes two damage from Furlong (thanks to Elrond) and one damage from Hirluin.

Ready. Raise threat to 38. 

Round 9

Resources and card: Steward of Gondor. Exhaust Steward in play to give Elrond two resources.

Quest: Cards are discarded until a location is revealed and added to the staging rea: Dry Watercourse. Furlong and Ethir Swordsman x3 quest for 16. Reveal: The Eves of Mirkwood. Total threat: 9. Four progress placed on Dark-wood Grove, exploring it. Hirluin is exhausted to travel to Enchanted Stream. 

Ready. Raise threat to 38.

Round 10

Resources and card: Gandalf. Stewards exhausts to give Elrond two more resources. Gandalf comes down and reduces my threat to 34.

Quest: Reshuffle encounter deck. Discard cards and add Mountains of Mirkwood to the staging area. Alright, holding back Warden of Healing and Envoy of Pelargir. Questing with everyone else for 66 (rock on). Reveal: Hatred Rekindled. No enemies engaged. Surge: Black Forest Bats. Remove Forlong from the quest, lowing total willpower to 62. Toal threat: 10. 6 progress placed on Enchanted Stream, exploring it. 46 progress placed on 3B. 

VICTORY!

Final Score: 124 (90 from completed rounds, 34 threat, no damage on heroes, no points in. the victory display)

Parting Thoughts

While picking Forlong as my Messenger of the King was fun from an Outlands perspective, it set me up for a very rough start while my Outlands forces became established. Then the switch flips during the quest and I am obliterating it. That's how most ally swarm decks work, but it is especially obvious with Outlands.

As for the quest, I had a blast. Feels like Passage Through Mirkwood -> The Oath -> Woodland Realm are a progression in difficulty with similar themes. I'll return to this post in the future and build a new deck using the seven sets not randomly selected this time around. 

Hunting For Gollum in 2026

Opening Thoughts

With (technically) a decade and a half of this game under my belt (practically like 8 years of actual play?), what would it be like to play The Hunt for Gollum with a pool of only two original core sets? 

This quest has not aged well in the views of the community. It's not one I've gone back to for repeated play over the years. My most recent experience is watching Jon, from Cardboard of the Rings, review The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game: The Magazine #2, which presented a truncated version of the quest to new players. 

"The Hunt for Gollum...is a pretty simple adventure to play." Jon is skeptical

I also have not built with such a restricted card pool since the game came out. For those who have only experienced the Revised core set: the original core set had artificial common / uncommon / rare seeding, even though this restriction was not present in deckbuilding. Want three copies of Sneak Attack? Buy two cores and have a spare! Want three copies of Dwarven Tomb? Buy three core sets and have a whole pile of extras! I opted for two at this point. There is a well-known deck by Seastan that creates a great single deck using a single core, but I am here to create decks for two players. We technically had three players, but I'm pretty sure that person brought their own. Unsure how we made that work hero wise, but I have faith in past me that it worked out. Also worth noting that we all were able to see the new Hunt For Gollum player cards that night, but were not able to add them to our decks.

The Decks

Unexpected Courage was a also "rare" and only one per Core? I forgot out limiting that original delivery model had been and how much of a feel-bad getting a third Core for those key cards was (which I eventually did; finding a good deal on a used local copy while living in Thailand).

For both decks, I started off putting down the good stuff (Sneak Attack + Gandalf, A Test of Will, Feint) and then had to put filler card after filler card to get to 50. The pile of expensive allies without any real synergy feels really bad! In general, the "Leaders" deck is set up to handle most of the questing while the "Warriors" deck takes care of as many enemies as possible. 

Leaders of the Core

Heroes
Aragorn
Éowyn
Théodred

Allies
2x  Faramir (Core)
3x  Gandalf (Core)
3x  Guard of the Citadel
3x  Longbeard Orc Slayer
3x  Lórien Guide
3x  Northern Tracker
3x  Silverlode Archer (Core)
3x  Snowbourn Scout

Attachments
2x  Celebrían's Stone (Core)
3x  Steward of Gondor (Core)
2x  The Favor of the Lady
2x  Unexpected Courage (Core)

Events
3x  A Test of Will (Core)
2x  Dwarven Tomb (Core)
1x  Grim Resolve (Core)
2x  Hasty Stroke (Core)
3x  Sneak Attack (Core)
2x  Stand and Fight
2x  Strength of Will
3x  Valiant Sacrifice (Core)

RingsDB

Warriors of the Core

Heroes
Beravor
Gimli
Legolas

Allies
1x  Beorn (Core)
3x  Daughter of the Nimrodel
3x  Erebor Hammersmith (Core)
2x  Gléowine
3x  Gondorian Spearman (Core)
2x  Henamarth Riversong (Core)
3x  Horseback Archer (Core)
3x  Miner of the Iron Hills (Core)
3x  Veteran Axehand

Attachments
3x  Blade of Gondolin (Core)
1x  Citadel Plate
3x  Dwarven Axe
2x  Horn of Gondor (Core)

Events
3x  Feint (Core)
3x  Quick Strike (Core)
3x  Radagast's Cunning
2x  Rain of Arrows
3x  Secret Paths (Core)
2x  Stand Together
2x  Swift Strike

RingsDB

The Quest

setup

Leaders set as player 1 

Leader hand: Unexpected Courage, Sneak attack, and some allies. Spirit-heavy and nothing I urgently need. Mulligan. Celebrian's Stone, Strength of Will x2, Dwarven Tomb, Faramir, Valiant Sacrifice. The Stone is very nice to see.
Warrior hand: All allies, only one of which I can play right now. Horn of Gondor x2, Blade of Gondolin, Gondorian Spearman, Horseback Archer, Gleowine. Much better! 

1A. Each player reveals an encounter card.
Leaders reveal: Hunters From Mordor
Warriors reveal: The Old Ford
Advance to 1B

Round 1

Cards & money!
Leaders draw: Silverlode Archer
Warriors draw: Daughter of Nimrondel

Leaders: Celebrian's Stone goes on Aragorn.

Warriors: Gondorian Spearman comes into play.

Quest: Aragorn, Eowyn, and Theordred quest. A resource is added to Aragorn. Total willpower: 9.

Leaders reveal: Evil Storm. No damage dealt. Nice that this doesn't have surge; it totally would in later cycles.

Warriors reveal: Old Wives Tales. Hands down my favorite art in this scenario and in my top art of all time. Aragorn and Beravor loose resources. Gimli and Legolas exhaust.

Gollum's just a cute little baby-eating fella

Total threat: 3. 6 progress is placed on 1B (6/8).

Leaders look at the top three cards of the encounter deck: Evil Storm, Misty Mountain Goblins, Hunters from Mordor. Evil Storm is added to the staging area (no effect; discarded) and both enemies are discarded.

Travel to The Old Ford

Beravor exhausts and Leaders draw two cards: A Test of Will, Favor of the Lady.

Ready. Raise (Leaders 30, Warriors 31). Pass first player token to Warriors.

Round 2

Money & cards!

Warriors draw: Quck Strike.

Leaders draw: Unexpected Courage

Warriors: Blade of Gondolin goes on Legolas.

Leaders: Unexpected Courage goes on Gimli

Quest: Aragorn, Eowyn, and Theodred quest again. Resource added to Aragorn's pool. Total Willpower: 9.

Warriors reveal: Pursued By Shadow. Leaders play A Test of Will to cancel the when revealed effect (which would raise the Warriors' threat by 4).

Leaders reveal: The East Bank.

Total Threat: 5. Two progress is placed on The Old Ford, exploring it. Two progress is placed on 1B, exploring it. Advance to 2A1

The group travels to The East Bank

Warriors engage Hunters from Mordor. Shadow card is dealt. Hunters attack! Gimli defends. Shadow: No effect. No damage is dealt. Unexpected Courage readies Gimli. Beravor, Gimli, Legolas, and Gondorian Spearman defeat the Hunters. Three progress is placed on the East Bank, exploring it.

Ready. Refresh (Leaders 31, Warriors 32). Pass token to Leaders.

Round 3

Cards & money!

Leaders draw: Son of Arnor

Warriors draw: Horseback Archer

Leaders: Dwarven Tomb returns A Test of Will to hand.

Warriors: Gelowine is played. Horseback archer is played.

Warriors look at the top two cards of the encounter deck: The West Bank, Eastern Crows. The West Bank is added to the staging area and Eastern Crows are discarded.

Quest: Aragorn, Ewoyn, and Theodred quest for a total of 9. Resource is added to Aragorn.

Warriors reveal: the East Bank

Leaders reveal: Gladden Fields

Total threat 9. No progress placed. Travel to The West Bank

The location lock begins! Maybe I should have put the crows into play, so Legolas could clear something. (Later note: I forgot Surge would not have triggered. This was definitely a miss in my decision making!)

Beravor has Leaders draw two cards: The Favor of the Lady, Silverlode Archer.

Gleowine has Warriors draw.a card: Miner of the Iron Hills.

Ready. Raise (Leaders 32, Warriors 33). Token passes to Leaders.

Round 5

Cards & money!

Leaders draw: A Test of Will

Warriors draw: Daughter of the Nimrodel.

Leaders play Faramir.

Warriors put Horn of Gondor on Gimli.

Leaders look at the top two encounter cards: Eastern Crows and False Lead. Eastern Crows are added to the staging area (surge does not take effect). 

Quest: 7 in staging, 3 to explore the active location, up to 6 coming from the deck. Aragorn, Eowyn, Theodred, Beravor, and Gimli quest for 13 willpower. Resource is added to Aragorn.

Leaders reveal: Signs of Gollum, which is guarded by: Eastern Crows. Surge. Pursued by Shadow. Leaders play A Test of Will to cancel it (costing 2 this turn due to The West Bank). 

Warriors reveal: River Niglor.

Total threat: 10. 3 progress is placed on The West Bank, exploring it. Gladden Fields is made the active location.

Unexpected Courage readies Gimli. 

Warriors engage the Eastern Crows guarding the clue. Leaders engage the other Eastern Crows. Shadow cards are dealt.

Eastern Crows attack the Leaders! Faramir defends. Shadow: No effect.

Eastern Crows attack the Warriors! Gimli defends. Shadow: No effect.

Legolas destroys the Warriors' Eastern Crows, adding three progress to The Gladden Fields, exploring it and adding it to the victory display. Signs of Gollum goes to chill in the staging area.

Horseback Archer destroys the Leaders' Eastern Crows.

Gelowine draws a card for the Warriors: Dwarven Axe.

Ready. Raise (Leaders 33, Warriors 34). Token passes to Warriors.

Round 6

Cards & money!

Warriors draw: Quick Strike

Leaders draw: Guard of the Citadel

Warriors: No plays. Holding out for Beorn.

Leaders; Silverload Archer is played.

Warriors reveal two cards from the encounter deck: Evil Storm, the West Bank. Evil Storm is added to the staging area (doing nothing) and West Bank is discarded.

Quest: 5 in staging and up to 6 to plan for. Aragorn, Eowyn, and Theodred quest for 9. Resource added to Aragorn. 

Warriors reveal: Signs of Gollum. Guarded by: Misty Mountain Goblins.

Leaders reveal: Gladden Fields

Total threat: 10. Faramir exhausts to raise total willpower to 12. Two progress is placed on 2B (2/10). The unguarded Signs of Gollum is attached to Aragorn.

Travel to Gladden Fields.Warriors engage Misty Mountain Goblins. Shadow card dealt. Goblins attack! Gimli defends. Shadow: No effect. No damage dealt. Legolas destroys the Goblins, adding three progress to Gladden Fields and exploring it (and adding it to the victory display). That Signs of Gollum returns to the staging area to wait.

Beravor has Leaders draw two cards: Longbeard Orc Slayer, Hasty Stroke.

Gleowine has Warriors draw a card: Feint.

Ready. Raise (Leaders 34, Warriors 35). Pass token to Leaders.

Round 7

Resources & cards!

Leaders draw: Longbeard Orc Slayer

Warriors draw: Stand Together

Leaders play: Guardian of the Citadel. Favor of the Lady goes on Eowyn.

Warriors play: Beorn & Daughter of Nimrondel

Quest: 5 in staging, one clue up for grabs, 8 left on stage 2B. Leaders quest with five characters for 12 threat. Resource added to Aragorn's pool. Faramir stays back to pump it up. Warriors add Daughter of Nimrondel to make the total willpower 13. 

Leaders reveal: Treacherous Fog. Each location gets +1 threat. Warriors must discard a card: Daughter of Nimrondel. 

Warriors reveal: Massing at Night. Reveal 2 more cards. Old Wives Tales. Berevor, Gimli, and Legolas exhaust. Aragorn looses a resource. Second card: Misty Mountain Goblins. 

Total threat: 9. Faramir exhausts to raise total willpower to 18. 9 resources are played on stage 1B, exploring it. Signs of Gollum attatched to Eowyn. 

Travel to River Ninglor. 

Warriors engage the Misty Mountain Goblin. Unexpected Courage readies Gimli. Shadow card is dealt. Goblin attacks! Gimli defends. Shadow: No effect, no damage dealt. Beorn and Horseback Archer destroy the Goblin.

Gleowine has Leaders draw a card: Sneak Attack.

Ready. Raise (Leaders 35, Warriors 36). Pass token to Warriors.

Round 8

Coin & card!

Warriors draw: Feint

Leaders draw: Gandalf

Leader: Favor of the Lady goes on Theodred. 

Warriors: No plays this turn (a good chunk of events waiting in the wings, though)

Quest: Leaders play sneak attack, sneaking in Gandalf, choosing to reduce their threat to 30. Aragorn, Eowyn, Theodred, Silverload Archer, Guard of the Citadel, and Gandalf quest. Total willpower: 18

Leaders reveal: Banks of the Anduin

Warriors reveal: The Old Ford (which has 9 threat due to the number of Allys...phew)

Total threat: 13. Faramir exhausts to raise the total willpower to 24. Warriors discard Horn of Gondor to pump Eowyn and raise willpower to 25. 4 progress is placed on River Ninglor, exploring it. 8 progress is placed on stage 2B, exploring it. 

VICTORY!

got 'em

Final Score: 127 (30 threat for Leaders, 36 threat for Warriors, 70 for completed rounds, -9 in the Victory Display).

Parting Thoughts

The short-lived LotR LCG magazine referred to this quest as "simple" and I see a bit of what they meant. That word feels laughable when thinking about a brand new player dealing with clues and trying to tread water while gathering them, but there was a feeling when playing this quest that "simpler" describes perfectly. Evil Storm was a great example of this. A conditional encounter effect that could do nothing and doesn't surge in that case? Not something I would expect to see in cycles after this first one. 

More of a "Slightly Foreboding" storm

The decks I brought felt terrible. The fact that they handily beat this scenario says something. Now, there are always caveats when a quest goes easy: I only faced on Hunters From Mordor and didn't have clues at the time, I had Legolas + Blade of Gondolin to clear locations almost every turn, etc.  But it was refreshing to go back to this severely limited card-pool an re-experience the first small bit of expansion the game received outside of the Core set. Now we'll wait and see what Andy Serkis brings to The Hunt for Gollum.