Quest 34: The Nin-in-Eilph

Victory on the seventh attempt!

The Deck

Swampwater

Heroes
Cirdan the Shipwright
Eowyn (Core)
Glorfindel (Foundations of Stone)

Allies
Curious Brandybuck x3
Elven Jewler x3
Emery x3
Envoy of Pelargir x3
Pelargir Shipwright x3
Saruman x3
Westfold Horse-breeder x3

Attachments
Herugrim x3
Light of Valinor x3
Map of Earnil x3
Snowmane x3
Unexpected Courage x2

Events
A Test of Will x3
Dwarven Tomb x2
Elven-light x3
Fair and Perilous x3
Power of Orthanc x1
Ride Them Down x3

Sets Used
Core

Foundations of Stone
Heirs of Numenor
The Blood of Gondor
Assault on Osgiliath
The Treason of Saruman
The Voice of Isengard 
The Antlered Crown
The Wastes of Eriador
Escape from Mount Gram
Across the EttenmoorsThe Dread Realm
The Land of Shadow
The Grey Havens

Rings DB Link


Lord of the Rings: the Card Game has decently-sized card pool now. Large enough that I sometimes forget cards exist, especially if they from an expansion I have not interacted with too much. That is the case with The Antlered Crown player cards, since I purchased that and most of the Angmar Awakened cycle at the end of last year (and the blog clearly shows I have not played much since then). While I have been utilizing quite a few cards from that purchase (just look at the above decklist), sometimes a card slips past the radar.

My initial experience being slaughtered on the first attempt (I think I brought a Leadership/Tactics Gondor deck to the party) showed me that massive willpower was going to be required. Subsequent attempts taught me that a reliable way to dispatch enemies almost instantly was crucial, as each of the few enemies present here proved quit a pain to keep around for any significant time. I tweaked my deck here and there, almost coming to the point of jumping ship for a new strategy between attempts four and five, when I re-discovered the beautiful piece of arsenal that is "Ride them Down." Wait, I can re-direct all of that massive willpower I'm throwing at the quest to take out an unwelcome enemy after it is revealed? Sign me up!

I never actually had to use "Ride them Down" in my final attempt, but its presence in my hand gave me a much more confident feel throughout the game. Before re-discovering the card, there was a chance my deck could pull of the win but plenty of ways it could fail. With the card in hand, there were ways the encounter deck could get the better of me but I held a significant advantage over the quest. That is the fun-zone for me. I do not mind loosing, but I do mind being in position where I have not quite figured out the puzzle of the quest and my only hope is to scrape by.



The Journey

Player Setup
Set starting threat to 26
Draw: Map of Earnil, Snowmane, A Test of Will, A Test of Will, Elven Jeweler, Light of Valinor
Light of Valinor + A Test of Will x2 (x3 with the Map, practically) is nice, but I want more ally support than just the Jeweler.
Mulligan: Snowmane, Elven-light, Westfold Horse-breeder, Curious Brandybuck, Saruman, Ride Them Down
Drawing Westfold Horse-breeder and Snowmane is less than optimal (I would rather see Herugim and the Horse-breeder), but hopefully I can get some more discard fodder along with my chump blocker.
 Encounter Setup
Take control of Nalir. Set Ancient Marsh-dweller inside. Search encounter deck and add Fen of Reeds to the staging area. Flip to side 1B. Advance to random stage 2A. Forced (Fen of Reeds): Exhaust Nalir. Raise threat by one (27). Flip to side 2B: A Forgotten Land (cannot play more than 1 card/round). Time 3 (add three time counters).

Round 1
Resource Phase
+1 Cirdan the Shipwright (1), +1 Eowyn (1), +1 Glorfindel (1)
Draw: Curious Brandybuck
Draw (Cirdan): Emery
Discard (Cirdan): Curious Brandybuck

Planning Phase
Discard three (player deck) to put Emery into play: Curious Brandybuck, Map of Earnil, Elven Jewler.
This doesn't count as my one card played/round. I'm going to save that for Ride Them Down, if needed.

Quest Phase
Commit: Cirdan (4), Eowyn (4), Glorfindel (3; raise threat to 28), Emry (1)
I feel comfortable leaving no-one up, knowing that Ride Them Down should be able to knock any enemy out, if needed.
Total Willpower: 12
Reveal: Fen of Reeds
Total Threat: 4
Discard Elven Light to give Eowyn +1 willpower for the phase.
Updated Willpower: 13
Play: Elven Light (from discard; Glorfindel -1). Return Elven Light to hand. Draw: Fair and Perilous. 
Place 9 progress on stage 2B (9/13).

Travel Phase
Travel to Fen of Reeds #1

No Engagements or Combat

Refresh Phase
Ready all. Raise threat to 29.
Forced (Nalir): Raise threat to 30.
Remove 1 time counter from stage 2B (2/3). 

Round 2
Resource Phase
+1 Cirdan the Shipwright (2), +1 Eowyn (2), +1 Glorfindel (1)
Draw: Pelargir Shipwright
Draw (Cirdan): Pelargir Shipwright
Discard (Cirdan): Curious Brandybuck
I think that's all three in the discard now! Definitely a card to re-evaluate, since I'm eager to pitch them when it comes down to it.

Planning Phase
None.
Still saving that one play for Ride Them Down, just in case. I would rather be a little lower on my willpower right now and yet able to knock out something if needed.

Quest Phase
Commit: Cirdan (4), Eowyn (4), Glorfindel (3; raise threat to 31).
Leaving Emery up this time, in case I get the stage 3B that causes Ancient Marsh-Dweller to engage me.
Total Willpower: 11
Reveal: Stinking Bog
Total Threat: 3
Place 3 progress on Fen of Reeds, exploring it
Place 5 progress on stage 2B (14/13), exploring it. Advance to random stage 3A. Forced (Fen of Reeds): Exhaust Nalir. Raise threat by 1 (31). Add Ancient-Marsh Dweller to the staging area. Flip to side 3B: Creatures of a Forgotten Age (enemies in the staging area get -20 engagement cost). Time 3 (add 3 time counters).

Travel Phase
Travel to Fen of Reeds.

Encounter Phase
Engage Ancient Marsh-Dweller.

Combat Phase
Deal shadow card to Ancient Marsh-Dewller. Attacks! Emery defends. Shadow: In Need of Rest (no effect). Emery is destroyed.
Love seeing In Need of Rest as a shadow and not an encounter card! 

Refresh Phase
Ready all. Raise threat to 32.
Forced (Nalir): Raise threat to 33.
Remove 1 time counter from stage 3B (2/3).  Place 1 resource on Ancient Marsh-Dweller (1).

Round 3
Resource Phase
+1 Cirdan the Shipwright (3), +1 Eowyn (3), +1 Glorfindel (2)
Draw: Map of Earnil
Draw (Cirdan): Dwarven Tomb
Discard (Cirdan): Elven-Light

Planning Phase
Play: Westfolt Horse-breeder (Eowyn -1). Look at top 10 cards (player deck) and add nothing to hand. Shuffle.
Play: Pelargir Shipwright (Cirdan -1, Eowyn -1, Glorfindel -1).
Play: Elven-light (from discard; Cirdan -1). Return Elven-light to hand. Draw: Herugrim.
Got my Eowyn combo in hand!

Quest Phase
Commit: Cirdan (4), Eowyn (4), Glorfindel (3; raise threat to 34).
Total Willpower: 11
Reveal: Off Track. Attach to Fen of Reeds (active location). Surge.
Reveal: Stinking Bog.
Total Threat: 2
The nice thing is having low threat in the staging area. The hard thing is attaching Herugrim to Eowyn will lower her stats.
Place 5 progress on Fen of Reeds, exploring it (and discarding Off Track).
Place 4 progress on stage 3B (4/16).

No travel or engagements

Combat Phase
Deal shadow card to Ancient Marsh-dweller. Attacks! Westfold Horse-breeder defends. Shadow: Off Track (no effect). Westfold Horse-breeder is destroyed.
Farewell, you breeder of none.

Refresh Phase
Ready all. Raise threat to 35
Forced (Nalir): Raise threat to 36.
Remove 1 time counter from stage 3B (1/3).  Place 1 resource on Ancient Marsh-Dweller (2).

Round 4
Resource Phase
+1 Cirdan the Shipwright (2), +1 Eowyn (2), +1 Glorfindel (2)
Draw: Power of Orthanc
Draw (Cirdan): Emery
Discard (Cirdan): Elven-light

Planning Phase
Discard three (player deck) to put Emery into play: Herugrim, Envoy of Pelargir, Fair and Perilous.
Play: Pelargir Shipwright (Cirdan -1, Eowyn -1, Glorfindel -1).

Quest Phase
Commit: Cirdan (4), Eowyn (4), Glorfindel (3; raise threat to 37), Shipwright #1 (3), Shipwright #2 (3).
Total Willpower: 17
Trying to "go big or go home" here, with the hopes of defeating stage 3 and having Ancient Marsh-Dweller returned to the staging area. It will then attack and I will be in trouble if it gets to attack again, but what is life without risks?
Reveal: Finger of Glanduin
Total Threat: 5
Place 12 progress on stage 3B, exploring it. Advance to stage 4A. Return Ancient Marsh-Dweller to the staging area. Attacks! Deal shadow card. Emery defends. Shadow; Giant Swamp Adder (no effect). Emery is destroyed. Flip to side 4B. Time 2 (add 2 time counters).

Travel Phase
Travel to Finger of Glanduin.

No encounters or combat.

Refresh Phase
Ready all. Raise threat to 38.
Forced (Nalir): Raise threat to 39.
Remove 1 time counter from stage 4B (1/2). Place 1 resource on Ancient Marsh-Dweller (3).

Round 5
Resource Phase
+1 Cirdan the Shipwright (2), +1 Eowyn (2), +1 Glorfindel (2)
Draw: Ride Them Down
Draw (Cirdan): Pelargir Shipwright
Discard (Cirdan): Ride Them Down

Planning Phase
This is it! I have pieces of my various win conditions in hand, but I think I'm going to Fair and Perilous my way out of this.
Play: Map of Earnil (Glorfindel -1). Attach to Cirdan.

Quest Phase
Commit: Eowyn (4), Glorfindel (3; raise threat to 40).
Total Willpower: 7
Reveal: Hall of Eyot
Total Threat: 11
Discard Ride Them Down to give Eowyn +1 willpower.
Updated Willpower: 8
Raise threat to 43.

No Travel

Encounter Phase
Engage Ancient Marsh-Dweller.

Combat Phase
Deal shadow card to Ancient Marsh-Dweller. Attacks! Pelargir Shipwright #2 defends. Shadow: Low on Provisions (+2 attack). Pelargir Shipwright is destroyed.
Play: Fair and Perilous (Glorfindel -1). Choose Cirdan, giving him +4 attack (6).
Discard Map of Earnil. Choose Fair and Perilous (Eowyn -1). Choose Cirdan, giving him +4 attack (10).
Play: Dwarven Tomb (Eowyn -1). Return Fair and Perilous to hand.
Play: Fair and Perilous (Cirdan -1). Choose Cirdan, giving him +4 attack (14).
Cirdan declares an attack on Ancient Mash-Dweller, destroying it and adding it to the victory display (5).
VICTORY!

Final Scoring
4 Completed Rounds x40: 40
Ending Threat: 44
Total Damage on Heroes: 0
Threat of Defeated Heroes: 0
Victory Display: -5
Total Score: 79


The Recap

The teaser for this one, which presented various routes through the swamp and a menacing creature waiting to attack you, appealed to me more than the actual quest did. The Three Trials actually presented more of what I had hoped to find here in The Nin-in-Eilph. The quest did make use of the cycles Time X keyword in a pretty massive way. At first I saw this as a flavor win, but the more I think about it the more I felt the quest was a mad rush through the swamp vs. the tiring slog the art and flavor text seemed to suggest.

As a solo player, there was a healthy challenge in deck-building here: Can you combine massive willpower with the ability to defend large attacks and deal significant damage? I am sure I made this harder on myself than necessary, since I stuck to my mono-Spirit guns on attempt #2 and up.

That final round did give me the adrenaline rush I love so much from this game. While I had a good board presence and hand, the right combination of treachery and shadow cards could have landed me in very hot water. Instead, I was able to swing for a massive kill with one hero. That was memorable!