Epic Fail at the Carrock

I'm still working at rectifying my mistake at The Carrock a few days ago. The first two attempts were a loss, but the second was a loss worth writing about. Since I took detailed notes this time around, here they are! The ending is a real doozy. 

The Journey

Player Set Up
Set threat to 28
Draw: Firefoot, Envoy of Pelagir, Rohan Warhorse, Defender of Rammas, Feint, Halfling Determination

Encounter Set Up
Shuffle one copy of Sacked into Encounter Deck
Place The Carrock in the staging area
Proceed to stage 1B

Round 1
Resource Phase
+1 Theoden (1), +1 Eomer (1), +1 Merry (1)
Draw: Horn of Gondor

Planning Phase
Play: Envoy of Pelargir (Merry -1, Eomer -1). Add 1 resource to Eomer (1)
Play: Firefoot (Theoden -1, Eomer -1). Attach to Eomer

Quest Phase
Commit Merry, Envoy of Pelagir to the quest.
Total willpower: 4
Reveal: Oak-wood Grove
Total threat: 4
No progress placed

Travel Phase
No travel made
I'm hoping to reveal Bee Pastures soon and combo that with Oak-wood Grove to get Grimbeorn the Old as an ally

Encounter Phase
None

Combat Phase
None

Refresh Phase
Ready all
Raise threat to 29

Round 2
Resource Phase
+1 Theoden (1), +1 Eomer (1), +1 Merry (1)
Draw: Saruman

Planning Phase
Play: Defender of Rammas (Merry -1, Eomer -1)

Quest Phase
Commit Theoden, Merry to the quest
Total willpower: 6
Reveal: Despair (no effect)
Total threat: 4
Place 2 progress on stage 1B (2/7)

Travel Phase
No travel

Encounter Phase
None

Combat Phase 
None

Refresh Phase
Ready all
Raise threat to 30


Round 3
Resource Phase
+1 Theoden (2), +1 Eomer (1), +1 Merry (1)
Draw: Firefoot

Planning Phase
Play: Rohan Warhorse (Theoden -1). Attach to Eomer

Quest Phase
Commit Merry, Theoden to the quest.
Total willpower: 6
Reveal: Wolf Rider (surge)
Reveal: Muck Adder
Total threat: 6
No progress placed on quest

Travel Phase
No travel

Encounter Phase
Engaged by Muck Adder
Engaged by Wolf Rider

Combat Phase
Deal shadow cards to Muck Adder, Wolf Rider
Muck Adder attacks. Envoy of Pelargir defends. Shadow: Grimbeorn the Old (no effect). Envoy of Pelagir is destroyed.
Wolf Rider attacks. Defender of Rammas defends. Shadow: Muck Adder (-1 shield to Defender of Rammas). No damage to Defender of Rammas.
Eomer declares an attack on Muck Adder and destroys it.
Exhaust Rohan Warehorse to ready Eomer.
Eomer declares an attack on Wolf Rider and destroys it.
I could have use Firefoot here just as well, with Eomer boosted due to the Envoy's destruction

Refresh Phase
Ready all
Raise threat to 31

Round 4
Resource Phase
+1 Theoden (2), +1 Eomer (2), +1 Merry (2)
Draw: Halfling Determination

Planning Phase
Play: Horn of Gondor (Theoden -1). Attach to Theoden

Quest Phase
Commit Merry, Theoden to the quest.
Total willpower: 6
Reveal: Bank of the Anduin
Total threat: 5
Place 1 progress on stage 2B (3/7)

Travel Phase
Travel to Banks of the Anduin

Encounter Phase
None

Combat Phase
None

Refresh Phase
Ready all
Raise threat to 32

Round 5
Resource Phase
+1 Theoden (2), +1 Eomer (3), +1 Merry (3)
Draw: Thicket of Spears

Planning Phase
None played

Quest Phase
Commit Theoden, Merry to the quest
Total willpower: 6
Reveal: Misty Mountain Goblins
Total threat: 6
No progress placed on quest

Travel Phase
None

Encounter Phase
Engaged by Misty Mountain Goblins

Combat Phase
Deal shadow card to Misty Mountain Goblins
Misty Mountain Goblins attack. Defender of Rammas defends. Shadow: Roasted Slowly (no effecta). Remove one progress from stage 1B (2/7). No damage on Defender of Rammas.
Eomer declares an attack on Misty Mountain Goblins, destroying them.

Refresh Phase
Ready all
Increase threat to 22

Round 6
Resource Phase
+1 Theoden (3), +1 Eomer (4), +1 Merry (4)
Draw: Gandalf

Planning Phase
None played

Quest Phase
Commit Theoden, Eomer, Merry to the quest.
Total willpower: 8
Reveal: Massing at Night (add 1 card to the staging area)
Reveal: River Langflood
Total threat: 6
Place 2 progress on Banks of the Anduin

Travel Phase
None

Encounter Phase
None

Combat Phase
None

Refresh Phase
Ready all
Increase threat to 34

Round 7
Resource Phase
+1 Theoden (4), +1 Eomer (5), +1 Merry (5)
Draw: Quick Strike

Planning Phase
Play: Gandalf (Theoden -2, Eomer -1, Merry -2). Reduce threat to 29.

Quest Phase
Commit Theoden, Merry, Gandalf to the quest.
Total willpower: 10
Reveal: Misty Mountain Goblins
Total threat: 10
Place 1 progress on Banks of the Anduin, exploring it and placing it on top of the Encounter Deck.
Place 1 progress on stage 1B (3/7)

Travel Phase
Travel to River Langflood

Encounter Phase
Engaged by Misty Mountain Goblins

Combat Phase
Deal shadow card to Misty Mountain Goblins
Misty Mountain Goblins attack. Defender of Rammas defends. Shadow: Banks of the Anduin (no effect). Remove 1 progress from stage 1B (2/7). No damage on Defender of Rammas.
Eomer declares an attack on Misty Mountain Goblins, destroying them.

Refresh Phase
Ready all
Raise threat to 30
Gandalf leaves play. +1 resource to Theoden (4), due to Horn of Gondor

Round 8
Resource Phase
+1 Theoden (5), +1 Eomer (4), +1 Merry (4)
Draw: Vassal of the Windlord

Planning Phase
Play: Vassal of the Windlord (Theoden -1)

Quest Phase
Commit Theoden, Eomer, Merry to the quest.
Total willpower: 8
Reveal: A Frightened Beast. Discard Vassal of the Windlord to cancel the effect.
+1 resource to Theoden (5), due to Horn of Gondor
Total threat: 4
Place 3 progress on River Langflood, exploring it
Place 1 progress on stage 1B (3/7)

Travel Phase
Travel to Oak-wood grove
About time to stop waiting and start moving forward. Shame since I have so many resources to spare!

Encounter Phase
None

Combat Phase
None

Refresh Phase
Ready all
Raise threat to 31

Round 9
Resource Phase
+1 Theoden (6), +1 Eomer (5), +1 Merry (5)
Draw: White Tower Watchman

Planning Phase
Play White Tower Watchman (Theoden -1, Eomer -1, Merry -1)

Quest Phase
Commit Theoden, Eomer, Merry to the quest.
Total willpower: 8
Reveal: Wargs
Total threat: 4
Place 1 progress on Oak-wood Grove, exploring it
Place 3 progress on stage 1B (6/7)

Travel Phase
None

Encounter Phase
Encountered by Wargs

Combat Phase
Deal shadow card to Wargs
Wargs attack. White Tower Watchman defends. Shadow: A Frightened Beast (no effect). One damage on White Tower Watchman. Wargs return to the staging area.

Refresh Phase
Ready all
Increase threat to 32

Round 10
Resource Phase
+1 Theoden (6), +1 Eomer (5), +1 Merry (5)
Draw: Rohan Warhorse

Planning Phase
Play Rohan Warhrse (Theoden -1). Attach to Merry.

Quest Phase
Commit Merry, Theoden, White Tower Watchman to quest.
Total willpower: 7
Reveal: Goblin Sniper
Total threat: 6
Place 1 progress on stage 1B, completing quest.
Make The Carrock the active location
Proceed to stage 2, flip to 2B
Add Louis, Stuart, Rupert, Morris to the staging area

Travel Phase
None

Encounter Phase
Optionally engage Stuart
Engaged by Wargs

Combat Phase
Deal shadow cards to Stuart, Wargs
Stuart attacks. White Tower Watchman defends. Shadow: Bee Pastures (no effect). White Tower Watchman is destroyed.
Play: Quick strike (Eomer -1), declaring Eomer as an attacker against the Wargs, destroying them
Exhaust Rohan Warhorse to ready Eomer
Declare an attack on Stuart. 7 attack vs. 4 shield for 3 damage.
Goblin Sniper deals one damage to Theoden

Refresh Phase
Ready all
Raise threat to 33

Round 11
Resource Phase
+1 Theoden (6), +1 Eomer (5), +1 Merry (6)
Draw: Feint

Planning Phase
Play: Saruman (Theoden -1, Eomer -1, Merry -1). Increase threat to 36. Remove Goblin Sniper from play.

Quest Phase
Commit Theoden to the quest
Total willpower: 3
Reveal: The East Bight
Total threat: 7
Raise threat to 40

Travel Phase
None

Encounter Phase
Engaged by Rupert, Morris, Louis

Combat Phase
Deal shadow card to Stuart, Rupert, Morris, Louis
Stuart attacks. Defender of Rammas defends. Shadow: Bee Pastures (no effect). Raise threat to 43. Defender of Rammas is destroyed.
Play: Thicket of Spears (Theoden -1, Eomer -1, Merry -1)
Play: Halfing Determination (Merry -1)
Play: Halfing Determination (Merry -1)
Merry and Eomer declare an attack on Stuart. 12 attack vs. 4 shield, placing 8 more damage an destroying him.
Eomer readies due to Merry's effect
Merry exhausts Rohan Warhorse to ready
Merry, Eomer, Saruman declare an attack on Louis. 17 attack vs. 3 shield, placing 14 damage and destroying him.
Saruman readies due to Merry's effect.
Eomer exhausts Rohan Warhorse to ready.
Eomer and Saruman declare an attack on Rupert. 12 attack vs. 3 shield, placing 9 damage

Refresh Phase
Ready all
Raise threat to 44
Discard Saruman
Return Goblin Sniper to staging area

Round 12
Resource Phase
+1 Theoden (5), +1 Eomer (4), +1 Merry (5)
Draw: Quick Strike

Planning Phase
Play: Quick Strike (Merry -1). Declare Eomer as an attacker against Rupert, destroying him.
Eomer exhausts Rohan Warhorse to ready

Quest Phase
Commit Merry to the quest
Total willpower: 3
Reveal: Sacked! Attack to Merry
Total threat: 4
No progress placed on quest

Encounter Phase
Optionally engage Goblin Sniper

Combat Phase
Deal shadow card to Goblin Sniper, Morris
Play: Feint (Eomer -1). Morris is chosen not to attack.
Goblin Sniper attacks (undefended). Shadow: Banks of the Anduin (no effect). Place two damage on Theoden.
Eomer and Theoden declare an attack on Morris. 8 attack vs. 3 shield for 5 damage.

Refresh Phase
Ready all
Raise threat to 45

Round 13
Resource Phase
+1 Theoden (6), +1 Eomer (5), Merry (4, does not collect resources, due to Sacked!)
Draw: Halfling Determination

Planning Phase
None

Quest Phase
Commit no one to the quest
Reveal: Dispair (no effect).
Total threat: 1
Raise threat to 46

Travel Phase
None

Encounter Phase
None

Combat Phase
Deal shadow cards to Goblin Sniper, Morris
Play: Feint (Eomer -1). Morris is chosen not to attack.
Goblin Sniper attacks. Undefended. Shadow: Bee Pastures (no effect). Place two damage on Eomer.
Theoden and Eomer declare an attack on Morros. 8 attack vs. 3 shield for 5 more damage, destroying him.
Remove Sacked! card from Merry

Refresh Phase
Ready all
Raise threat to 47

Round 14
Resource Phase
+1 Theoden (7), +1 Eomer (5), +1 Merry (5)
Draw: Book of Eldacar

Planning Phase
Play: Book of Eldacar, attaching to Eomer

Quest Phase
Commit: Theoden, Eomer, Merry to the quest.
Total willpower: 8
Reveal: Hill Troll
This is the only card left in the encounter deck that I could have drawn that could cost me the game.
Total threat: 2
Place 6 progress on The Carrock, exploring it.

Travel Phase
Travel to The East Bight

Encounter Phase
Encountered by Hill Troll

Combat Phase
Deal shadow card to Goblin Snipe, Hill Troll
Hill Troll attacks, undefended. Shadow: Slowly Roasted (no effect). Damage placed on Eomer, destroying him. Threat raised to 51.

Game over.