“So the companies came and were hailed and cheered and passed through the Gate, men of the Outlands marching to defend the City of Gondor in a dark hour.”
–J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King

When a conspiracy threatens the heart of Gondor, Middle-earth’s greatest heroes arrive to lend their aid…

The Steward’s Fear , the first Adventure Pack in the Against the Shadow cycle for The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game , is now available at your local retailer and online through our webstore !

It’s time to scour the darkest of Minas Tirith’s alleys, delve its subterranean chambers, and root out the foul conspirators who seek to serve their Dark Lord by weakening the White City and all of Gondor. The Steward’s Fear continues directly after the events of Heirs of Númenor , and its scenario introduces players to the mystery that carries through the whole narrative arc of the Against the Shadow cycle. Can you find your first clues? Or will you see Minas Tirith burn?

Defending Gondor in a Dark Hour

In addition to the mysteries of its new scenario, The Steward’s Fear introduces a new hero and a wealth of new player cards that work exceedingly well together. In fact, the sample deck below can be created from just one copy of the Core Set , Heirs of Númenor , and The Steward’s Fear !

Heroes :
Beravor
Éowyn
Hirluin the Fair ( The Steward’s Fear , 1)

Allies:
Anfalas Herdsman ( The Steward’s Fear , 8) x3
Envoy of Pelargir x3
Errand Rider x3
Ethir Swordsman ( The Steward’s Fear , 6) x3
Faramir x2
Gandalf ( Core Set , 73) x3
Gléowine x2
Hunter of Lamedon x3
Knights of the Swan ( The Steward’s Fear , 4) x3
Miner of the Iron Hills x1
Snowbourn Scout x3
Warrior of Lossarnach ( The Steward’s Fear , 2) x3

Attachments:
Celebrían’s Stone x1
Protector of Lórien x2
Steward of Gondor x2
Unexpected Courage x1

Events:
A Test of Will x2
Dwarven Tomb x1
Hasty Stroke x2
Sneak Attack x2
Stand and Fight x3
Valiant Sacrifice x2
Will of the West x2

The key to this deck is the strength it gains from all of its Outlands allies. The more you control, the stronger they become. Ethir Swordsman gives all your Outlands characters an additional Willpower, Anfalas Hersdman gives them all an additional hit point, Warrior of Lossarnach gives them an additional point of Defense, and Knights of the Swan boost all your Outlands characters with a point of Attack Strength. These bonuses add up quickly, especially when you get multiples of each of these non-unique allies into play.

Each of your heroes serves a distinct purpose. Éowyn is the primary quester, leading your investigation of Gondor’s underworld locations with her four Willpower. Beravor should exhaust to draw cards every turn; the more cards you draw, the sooner you’ll be able to build your Outlands army. Hirluin the Fair, here, is the lynchpin of the deck. If the deck’s greatest strength is in its many Outlands allies, then Hirluin is the hero who helps pull that army together. His text allows him to use his resources to pay for Outlands allies of any sphere, meaning there isn’t a single Outlands ally in the deck that you can’t play the same turn you draw it, and because Hirluin is an Outlands character himself, he benefits from all the boosts that his allies provide!

Can You Uncover the Dastardly Plot?

With its variable Plots and Villains , the new scenario from The Steward’s Fear changes greatly from game to game, offering new twists and challenges every time.

Will Hirluin the Fair and his troop of Outlands allies uncover the dastardly plot before it’s too late? Or will they fall prey to the Dark Lord’s faithful conspirators?

Begin your adventures today. Head to your local retailer to pick up your copy of The Steward’s Fear , or order it online through our webstore !