I think Iarion's gonna get killed early on.

I think we're going to chase him across The Wastes of Eriador until we have to spring him in an Escape from Mount Gram and head Across the Ettenmoors back home.

I just don't think an ally with an encounter set all to himself would die that early on. That being said, my vote is on Amarthiul for the hero.

Well, judging by previous cycles, Iarion will turn on us at the end and will be the arch enemy during the final ap's quest.

A mono leadership with a good meal on Sam can play doom still hangs on turn 1.

I think we're going to chase him across The Wastes of Eriador until we have to spring him in an Escape from Mount Gram and head Across the Ettenmoors back home.

I just don't think an ally with an encounter set all to himself would die that early on. That being said, my vote is on Amarthiul for the hero.

--Speculation on potential SPOILERS follows---

It was something in a preview article that made me think they've got something up their sleeve. Maybe he won't die, but ...hmm..

For sure we aren't traveling with him by the fourth AP, "The Treachery of Rhudaur." It says: "...the heroes come across the remnants of a keep marked by the same symbol that appears on the pendant that Amarthíul inherited from the captured Ranger, Iárion."

Why 'inherited?' And why doesn't Iarion have it himself? Maybe he is in a deathly stupor, or maybe dead himself, but in any case by that point we're traveling with Amarthiul and not his brother. It is kind of strange for us to have an encounter set dedicated to Iarion if he's not going to show up again later, but doing it that way did allow them to print only 1 copy of Iarion instead of 2 for each Lost Realm box, which adds up when you print in the thousands. Maybe it's as simple as that.

I have to say I made the assumption Grandspleen is making after reading about Amarthiul inheriting the pendant as well.

Perhaps however he is just sick or wounded from his stay in a jail cell in Mount Gram and has given his brother his pendant to guard him or give him good luck whilst travelling with the heroes. We could always be getting Amarthiul as the hero if Iarion does indeed perish.

Can someone test a Doom Hang Still combo deck to play at least one on the first turn (while being in the valor zone of course)?

Deck list should have

3 Doom Hang Still

3 Tome of Atanator for recursion

3 Erebor Hammersmith for recursion of the recursion

3 Born Aloft for the Erebor Hammersmith for recursion of the recursion of the recursion

3 Will of the West for... well you got that...

+ cards that raise your threat to get to the valour point

+ cards that lower your threat to continue to play Doom Hang Still (wish their was a card that could prevent you from being eliminated and lower your threat... wait a minute...)

+ cards that make you draw to ensure you have 1 Doom Hang Still and enough resource and raise threat to play it turn 1.

Typicaly, a doom dwarf deck or something like that.

The aim is to ensure you can launch one turn 1, and can snowball to reach turn 46 without having done one single Quest Phase...

You can also combine this with quest progress (Legolas and Dunedain Hunter for example) to finish the quest without questing... but well... one step at a time.

That is 4 spheres and you cant use Legolas to do all the questing progress if you never haveva quest phase to draw an enemy...

That could be possible. Is Iarion a cool character? I STILL don't have my copy of TLR yet...

Hes pretty cool haha. Helps big time with MEGA nasty encounter side quests and has pretty great art.

Plus hes a Dunedain, a true descendant of Numenor! Whats not to like

He gets captured more than Daphne on Scooby Doo for starters, lol.

He gets captured more than Daphne on Scooby Doo for starters, lol.

Does that mean he's automatically the captive in Dol Goldur?

He gets captured more than Daphne on Scooby Doo for starters, lol.

Does that mean he's automatically the captive in Dol Goldur?

No, that would be Princess Peach.

He gets captured more than Daphne on Scooby Doo for starters, lol.

Does that mean he's automatically the captive in Dol Goldur?

No, that would be Princess Peach.

Or Princess Zelda.

He should be the first hero who contributes when captured or unconscious, as is his expertise.

Reduce threat level by 2 when captive or otherwise incapacitated by a quest deck effect. Can be chosen as hero held captive or incapacitated by quest deck effects/setup instead of selecting randomly.

Still gathers resources and can spend them as if he were not captured.

He gets captured more than Daphne on Scooby Doo for starters, lol.

Does that mean he's automatically the captive in Dol Goldur?

No, that would be Princess Peach.

Or Princess Zelda.

Or Princess Prin Prin (old 8-bit 1980s reference there)

Plus, if you watched the dire scooby doo live action movie, youd want to capture Velma over Daphne (yes really, you read that right)

Lol, no arguments there my friend.