Here's one for each of the OG Shadow cultures. I didn't bother with the post-MD Shadow cultures since they're thematically split by race, but I'm sure there are plenty of other atypical Culture/Race combinations out there to explore.
I'd love to see more if you've got any ideas!
------
•Regiment of Crows Minion • Creature
Strength: 3
Vitality: 2
Site Number: 4
To play, spot no minions in play. Discard Regiment of Crows if at a dwelling or underground site.
At the start of the maneuver phase, the Free Peoples player reveals his or her hand. He or she may exert a ranger companion or add
to prevent this.
"As they passed overhead, in so dense a throng that their shadow followed them darkly over the ground below, one harsh croak was heard."Of limited but potent use, the
crebain of Dunland make for excellent spies, especially if the Company is moving without the expertise of a ranger.
I don't think "To play, spot no minions in play." is the correct wording to make it work right since I don't believe you can spot nothing.
------
Lagging Goblin Minion • Orc
Strength: 4
Vitality: 2
Site Number: 7
Lurker.Response: If Gollum is about to take a wound, wound or discard this minion to prevent that wound.
"Goblin he thought good, when he could get it; but he took care they never found him out."I've often written
Orcs with the intent of synergizing them with
Web. This one is slightly different from what I've done in the past, and I've tried to push the 'lagginess' of him pretty hard. Overcosted for his stats, roaming late into the game, and last to skirmish, all he can really do is wound himself to death for the sake of a hungry Gollum. In this instance it's a rare stroke of luck when he survives into the Regroup phase (he ain't being played to survive!) but he's still fully-playable with
Web, which makes me happy.
------
Elder Bark Minion • Tree
Strength: 6
Vitality: 4
Site Number: 5
Damage +1. Lurker. To play, exert an
minion (or spot an Ent).
This minion is strength +1 for each wound on a companion or ally it is skirmishing.
"'But there are hollow dales in this land where the Darkness has never been lifted, and the trees are older than I am.'"All I wanted to do here was write a Dark
Huorn card, but I think I've accidentally stumbled into an interesting design space - and not based on what you see here. I envision additional
Tree minions designed to 'fuel' Isengard's industry, maybe building a connection between Trees and pulling Machines out of your draw deck? I'd love to see what somebody else comes up with but I might circle back around and write a card or two for such a purpose.
------
•Gollum, Wandering the Long Dark Minion
Strength: 5
Vitality: 4
Site Number: 3
Lurker. When you play Gollum, replace the fellowship's current site with an underground site.
Gollum is always roaming.
At the end of each phase, exert Gollum to add
.
"...like the faint fall of soft bare feet... but it was not an echo, for when they halted it pattered on for a little all by itself, and then grew still."Okay, so Gollum doesn't actually
have a Race and is thus ineligible for this series of cards, but whaaaaaatever
I kept this Gollum simple and direct: Play him, and you're underground. End a phase, exert for
. Not optional, for Gollum is wandering against his will. (Edit - I spontaneously added the always roaming bit. Figured it made sense.)
Also, yes, this Gollum can bear
Goblin Spear. That might bust him, so he might need a "Gollum may not bear possessions" clause to keep additional shenanigans in-check.
------
•Alatar, The Blue Wizard Minion • Wizard
Strength: 8
Vitality: 4
Site Number: 9
Easterling. Alatar may not take wounds during the archery phase and may not be assigned to a skirmish.
Skirmish: Exert Alatar and cancel a skirmish involving an Easterling to draw a card.
Sent long ago into the hostile East, few tales have returned to tell of the success - or failure - of his vital mission.I've smashed Saruman and Gandalf together into a single card. I wanted to boost Easterlings without giving them any additional firepower, since that's not what Alatar is about: he may be a minion, but his mission is to deescalate cultural tensions, and to that end I've made him a skirmish-cancelling machine. Is your Easterling about to lose a skirmish? Think again - Daddy Alatar is here to make things all better.
Of course Alatar costs more than your average Wizard, since he'll drop for
right up until the very end due to that absolute blemish of a site number.
I was worried about Alatar becoming busted by bearing
possessions, but the only one he can bear is
Easterling Polearm, which does nothing for him. There's also
Staff of Saruman, Fallen Istar's Stave, but there's no way I'd add a clause
preventing Alatar from bearing a Staff.
------
•Frodo Baggins, Succumbing to The Ring Minion • Hobbit
Strength: 3
Vitality: 4
Site Number: 1
To play, spot a Nazgûl (or 6 burdens).
Frodo Baggins is strength +1 for each burden you can spot.
The Ring-bearer may not be assigned to a skirmish. The Free Peoples player may not assign a character to skirmish Frodo Baggins.
"'Don't you know your Sam?'"The SWCCG dork in me will never die - long live split-personas!
Frodo Baggins is half
Bill Ferny, SSF and half
Stinker, conferring full protection to the Free Peoples player's Ring-bearer in exchange for (potentially) a significant strength boost. This is possibly the most busted card of the lot.
------
•Shelob, Keeper of Ancient Paths Minion • Spider
Strength: 8
Vitality: 8
Site Number: 8
Enduring. Lurker.While the fellowship is at a mountain site, your conditions may not be discarded by Free Peoples cards.
While the fellowship is at an underground site, Shelob is
damage +1.
"...swollen till the mountains could no longer hold her up and the darkness could not contain her."Nothing too complicated to be seen here - just a
Spider that'll eighthandedly protect all of your conditions from meddling, provided you can get the fellowship to a mountain site.