“Hail, comers from afar!” they said, and they turned the hilts of their swords towards the travellers in token of peace. Green gems flashed in the sunlight. Then one of the guards stepped forward and spoke in the Common Speech.
    “I am the Doorward of Théoden,” he said. “Háma is my name. Here I must bid you lay aside your weapons before you enter.”

–J.R.R. Tolkien, The Two Towers

Darkness and silence await you in the mines of Moria. The Long Dark is now available at your local retailer and online on our webstore !

The fourth chapter of the Dwarrowdelf saga, this Adventure Pack relates the trials of the heroes of Middle-earth as they delve into Moria’s ancient Dwarven tunnels in search of the source of the increased Orc activity in the Misty Mountains. The way is dark and choked with foes and hazards. The ominous dark lingers ever before your party, closing in around you, making it difficult to tell one path from another, and you must be careful to keep your way.

The Long Dark challenges your fellowship with Locate Tests and goblin hordes, and your heroes will need guidance rooted in wisdom in order to prevail.

A Man of Worth in a Time of Doubt

The Long Dark introduces a new Tactics hero to represent the Riders of Rohan , Háma ( The Long Dark , 76). A warrior who earned the right to serve as Théoden’s personal doorward, Háma brings both his sword and his wisdom to The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game .

Naturally, Tactics heroes excel at defending and defeating enemies. That said, none have yet appeared to structure the Tactics sphere into a more coordinated strategy. Gimli ( Core Set , 4) and Legolas ( Core Set , 5) are tremendous warriors, but they tend to race into every fray, counting their kills. Gimli slays the larger enemies, and Legolas clears a path through the smaller foes for your fellowship to travel. Boromir ( The Dead Marshes , 95) may be a valiant hero, but he tends toward selfishness, defending and attacking all that come near him. Thalin ( Core Set , 6) may have a definite style, but it rarely suggests any measure of planning; he simply pushes forward into every unknown location, forever committed to the quest. Of the existing Tactics heroes, Brand son of Bain ( The Hills of Emyn Muil , 72) is most likely to coordinate a larger strategy out of momentary tactics; his ability to ready other player’s heroes can be very handy, but requires some cooperation.

Háma, however, is likely to change how many players approach the Tactics sphere. As your fellowship pushes further into the darkest reaches of Middle-earth, you want a plan that provides consistent means of dealing with the enemies that seek to surround you. Háma’s ability provides just that. With just one Willpower and one Defense, Háma’s not built to excel at much other than attacking, but that’s okay. It’s when he attacks that he shines. After Háma is declared as an attacker, you can return a Tactics event from your discard pile to your hand. Of course, you have to discard a card afterward, but so long as you have the cards to spare, Háma helps you get greater, consistent utility out of some of the Tactics sphere’s greatest events, such as Feint ( Core Set , 34) and Quick Strike ( Core Set , 35).

Events in The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game often have tremendous effects, but their main drawback is that they are discarded immediately after they resolve. Because you can only include three copies of any event in a deck of at least fifty cards, it’s sometimes hard to count on drawing them when you need them. Háma may not allow you to include extra copies or keep your events on the table as static bonuses, but he allows you to make repeated use of them. Moreover, when Háma attacks, you can return the Tactics event of your choice from your discard pile, meaning that you can start to build a larger strategy out of the events you include in your deck.

Traveling Purposefully through The Long Dark

Pick up your copy of The Long Dark today to strike forward under the guidance of Háma, purposefully arming your hand with the most useful Tactics events in your deck. This exciting Adventure Pack is now available at your local retailer and online on our webstore !

The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game is a cooperative card game that puts 1-2 players (or up to four with an additional Core Set) in control of the most powerful characters and artifacts of Middle-earth. Players will select heroes, gather allies, acquire artifacts, and coordinate their efforts to face Middle-earth’s most dangerous fiends. The Living Card Game format allows players to customize their gaming experience with monthly Adventure Pack expansions to the core game.