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The Battles Begin

The Lord of the Rings: Heirs of Númenor Is Now Available

It was night again ere news came. A man rode in haste from the fords, saying that a host had issued from Minas Morgul and was already drawing nigh to Osgiliath; and it had been joined by regiments from the South, Haradrim, cruel and tall.

    –J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King

Ready your swords and spears for battle with the hordes of Mordor! Heirs of Númenor, the second deluxe expansion for The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game, is now available at your local retailer and online on our webstore.

After the Core Set and Shadows of Mirkwood cycle of Adventure Packs led players through the perilous woods of Mirkwood, the Khazad-dûm expansion and Dwarrowdelf cycle transported the game to the Misty Mountains and the dark and treacherous mines of Moria. The shift reflected the vast geographical and thematic diversity of the world imagined by J.R.R. Tolkien, and it meant that players would face all-new challenges from encounter decks that featured different enemies, different locations, and treachery cards, as well as dynamic new quests and mechanics.

Now, the Heirs of Númenor expansion once again transports the game to a new realm. This time, we travel to the brave and battle-scarred realm of Gondor.

The Bulwark of the West

“By our valour the wild folk of the East are still restrained, and the terror of Morgul kept at bay; and thus alone are peace and freedom maintained in the lands behind us, bulwark of the West.”

    –Boromir, The Fellowship of the Ring

The Men of Gondor must remain ever vigilant for the evils of Mordor and the Dark Lord Sauron lie just beyond their realm to the east. This means Gondor is the shield wall that stands between the hosts of Mordor and the free lands to the West. Its massive walled fortresses are built for defense, not for show, and the safety and prosperity of its citizens is won by the sweat, blood, and skill of its stalwart warriors.

Even so, the strength of Gondor’s walls, the skills of its scouts, and the resolve of its sentries may not be enough to keep the realm safe from the insidious influence of the Dark Lord’s evil. Gondor needs the aid of Middle-earth’s greatest heroes. The three new scenarios in Heirs of Númenor carry players through an epic tale of treachery, battle, and acts of heroism.

Moreover, Heirs of Númenor introduces two new quest keywords, Battle and Siege, that change the very nature of questing. As the narrative contained within the expansion’s three scenarios unfolds, Middle-earth’s heroes will have to survive bar brawls and skirmishes in the alleys of Pelargir as well as ambushes along the paths of Ithilien. They’ll also have to war against waves of Orc soldiers. As these battles represent a different approach to the nature of a “quest” in the game, the Battle and Siege keywords alter the way heroes make progress, forcing them to quest with their Attack Strength or Defense Strength instead of their Willpower.

Stand United

In the face of the threats arrayed outside their walls, the Men of Gondor stand united. In addition to its three new scenarios, Heirs of Númenor introduces a wealth of new player cards to support the Gondor trait, including new allies, attachments, and events. You’ll also find two new heroes, the doughty Warrior, Beregond (Heirs of Númenor, 1), and the Noble Boromir (Heirs of Númenor, 2).

These heroes, allies, attachments, and events permit new deck builds that better support Gondor’s presence within the game. The Men of Gondor stand together at the edge of darkness, having taken the burden of war from the Elves and Dwarves. Accordingly, many of the new Gondor player cards gain strength through synergies with other Gondor cards; the greater they are united, the more disciplined they remain, the stronger they stand in the face of evil. The Citadel Custodian (Heirs of Númenor, 4) and the Envoy of Pelargir (Heirs of Númenor, 18) are just two examples of how the expansion represents Gondor’s unity on the front lines of the war.

The Epic Battles Continue

Heirs of Númenor does more than transport the game to the realm of Gondor, allow players to experiment with new Gondor deck-building themes, and task Middle-earth’s heroes with the completion of an epic series of quests; it also lays the foundation for the upcoming cycle of Adventure Packs, Against the Shadow. The six Adventure Packs from Against the Shadow weave an intricate story of corruption, inquest, and the massing for war on both sides of Ephel Duath, the Mountains of Shadow. Their ongoing narrative begins after the conclusion of the scenarios from Heirs of Númenor and require the deluxe expansion’s encounter sets to play.

Prepare for battle! Whether you’re fighting in the streets of Pelargir, combating Southrons along forested trails, or standing fast against an onrushing Orc horde, Heirs of Númenor brings you new challenges, new quests, and ferocious new enemies. Pick up your copy of Heirs of Númenor from your local retailer today, or order your copy online through our webstore.

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Source: The Battles Begin (http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_news.asp?eidn=3755)