1
Start with Sauron
The Sauron player takes the first turn, then players alternate
2
Choose your action
Either take a Chapter card OR take a Landmark tile on your turn
3
Select available card
Choose a card not partially covered by other cards from the central play area
4
Play the card
Pay any Coin and/or Skill costs, place in your play area, immediately gain its effect
5
Discard instead
Alternatively, place card facedown in discard and gain Coins equal to current chapter (1/2/3)
6
Reveal new cards
End turn by flipping any cards that become available
7
Select and pay
Choose a faceup tile, pay its Skill cost plus additional Coins equal to your Fortresses already on board
8
Place Fortress
Immediately place a Fortress pawn on the corresponding region
9
Gain effects
Benefit from the tile's unique effects
10
No replacement
End turn without revealing a new tile
11
Pay Coin costs
Some cards require paying Coins to the reserve
12
Meet Skill requirements
Most cards/tiles require Skill symbols in your play area
13
Substitute with Coins
Pay 1 Coin per missing Skill symbol if needed
14
Use chaining
In Chapters 2-3, play cards free if you have matching chaining symbol from a previous card
15
Grey cards (Skills)
Provide Skill symbols (Ruse, Strength, Courage, Knowledge, Leadership) usable once per turn each
16
Yellow cards (Coins)
Immediately take indicated Coins from reserve
17
Blue cards (Quest)
Move your character on Quest track one space per Ring symbol, gaining Bonus space effects when passed
18
Green cards (Races)
Represent the 6 Races for alliance building
19
Red cards (Units)
Place indicated number of Units in one of two region choices
20
Purple cards (Chapter 3 only)
Perform maneuvers: move 1 Unit to adjacent region, opponent loses 1 Coin, or remove 1 enemy Unit
21
Two matching symbols
When gained, reveal top 2 Alliance tokens of that Race, keep 1, return other to top of stack
22
Three different symbols
Once per game, reveal top token from each of 3 different Races, keep 1, return others to their stacks
23
Place Units peacefully
If no enemy Unit present, simply place your Units
24
Trigger conflicts
If enemy Units present, each player removes one Unit; repeat until one side has no Units
25
Move Units
Each movement goes to one adjacent connected region, resolve conflicts before continuing
26
Fortresses don't conflict
Enemy Fortresses don't prevent placement or trigger conflicts
27
Trigger chapter end
Chapter ends when final card is taken
28
Set up next chapter
Arrange next chapter's cards per diagram, reveal Landmark tiles until 3 are faceup
29
Continue play
Other player takes next turn (unless "Take another turn" effect was used)
