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August 30, 2020, 11:29:10 AM
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menace64

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Fill in the Blank Season 1: Lairs #19
« on: August 30, 2020, 11:29:10 AM »
    Welcome to Fill in the Blank Season 1: Lairs!

    Each week I'll post the collector's information for one of the cards in the set's card-list.

    Contestants are free to create whatever card they see fit for that slot in the card-list, keeping in mind the surrounding cards. As the contest progresses, the card-list will become more and more defined, guiding the contestants' choices.

    The theme of our set is Lairs! You're free to interpret this however you want.

    Not every card has to fit the theme, of course, but it's something to keep in mind when coming up with entries.

    Each week a poll will go up for the previous week's entries. Simply vote for one you like the most. In the event of a tie, I'll let a random result generator make the decision - but each of the tied cards will appear in the final set card list.


    On to Stuff!


    Before we announce last week's winner...
    I've got my first work assignment and I'll be out of town most of the next two weeks. There's a marginal chance I'll be able to post on time next Sunday, but if I'm late it's because I'm way out in the middle of nowhere.

    Last week's winner...

    We've got another coinflip this week!

    Every entry received votes, but Cw0rk's Key of Orthanc and Durin's Heir's Cold and Perilous held to their advantage, which brings us to the time-honored decision-maker. Cw0rk lost last week's coinflip, but let's see what the fates have in store...

    .

    .

    .

    .

    .

    Durin's Heir wins the tie with Cold and Perilous! I'm super curious to see how this card affects Isengard, and Isengard Men specifically.

    (Cw0rk, sorry bud for the unlucky flips two weeks in a row! If it makes you feel any better, prepping the image for your card was the closest I've ever felt to being an old school Decipher graphic artist. Key of Orthanc is a solid addition to the misadventure deck!)


    Last week's entries to pick from for Card #9...

    Quote from: Entry #1
    [1] •Gandalf's Cloak [Gandalf]
    Possession • Cloak
    Bearer must be Gandalf.
    Each time a maneuver or skirmish special ability removes [X], you may heal Gandalf.
    Maneuver: Take a [Gandalf] event into hand from your draw deck. Discard this cloak.
    "The old man with the casket threw aside his hood and cloak. 'Here is Gandalf! And none too soon it seems.'"

    Designer's notes: The passive skill is meant to make Gandalf's fragile twilight dependant cards more reliable (TWW, Walking Stick, Focus of Power, Unknown Perils, UtLE, Undaunted, KYFT) by forcing the Shadow player to concede you another much needed resource (vitality) every time he/she uses a special abilities to clear twilight (with the sort of Easterling Captain, Not Easily Destroyed or Greed). The Maneuver skill gives you an event from deck for a desperate need, optimizing Gandalf's use of cards like Intimidate, Roll of Thunder or Strength of Spirit as a support companion (that is, with fewer card slots in the deck).

    Quote from: Entry #2
    [4] •The Bee-fields of Beorn [Gandalf]
    Possession • Support Area
    To play, exert Gandalf (or spot Beorn).
    Response: If the fellowship moves to a dwelling or plains site in region 2, transfer this possession from your support area to that site. That site gains sanctuary and:
    "Fellowship: Exert a unique [Gandalf] ally to draw a card."

    Designer's notes: I wanted this card to be useful to a player even in an environment where Beorn isn't a legal card. I'm not sure if Beorn is in The Hobbit draft game but I assume he is; and like I said, this card doesn't even need him. It certainly does better with a big beefy [Gandalf] ally waiting in the wings to exert for big draw gains, but that is a role you can also fill with Treebeard, or even Barliman Butterbur. This is a highly situational card though, so it won't always be easy to snag the bonus sanctuary. It works in Fellowship block with: Hollin; in Towers: Westemnet Hills, Deep of Helm; and in King: Pelennor Plain, Pelennor Flat, Pelennor Prairie. In a post-10 environment: Yes.

    Quote from: Entry #3
    [8] Tamed Spider [Elven]
    Possession • Mount
    Bearer must be an Elf or Wizard. This possession's twilight cost is -1 for each Elf or Wizard you can spot.
    Bearer is enduring.
    "'Are the spiders your tame beasts or your pets...?'"

    Designer's notes: The set is called Lairs so it must have spiders! This would be some sort of great spider from Mirkwood that would have ended up being tamed by Radagast and Elves. The quote comes from The Hobbit book.

    Quote from: Entry #4
    (0) •Mithril Gates [Dwarven]
    Condition • Support Area
    Fortification.
    Each minion is strength -1 for each knight stacked here (limit -3).
    While there are 4 knights stacked here, the fellowship archery total is +1.
    While there are 5 knights stacked here, companions may not take wounds except in the skirmish phase.
    Regroup: Exert a Dwarf companion to stack a knight here.

    Designer's notes: Only Dwarves can build this gate, but it takes knights to man it. My goal for this card to bring to life an otherwise non-existent deck type: Dwarves and knights. It needs to be powerful enough to compensate for the inherent inconveniences of blending two cultures. Running low on companions late in the game? Use Dwarven Foresight to play one of the knights stacked here. It's risky having so much invested in a single condition, so Gimli, Feared Axeman is a must-have. The other limitation is that you have to be able to keep the knights alive until the regroup phase (and keep the Dwarves not exhausted). There is not much room left for lore here, but if there were, it would be this from the appendices: "He and his people did great works for Gondor and Rohan. For Minas Tirith they forged gates of mithril and steel to replace those broken by the Witch-king."

    Quote from: Entry #5
    [1] O Orofarnë, Lassemista, Carnimírië! [Gandalf]
    Condition • Support Area
    Tale. You may spot Ents and Trees in your dead pile.
    Maneuver: Discard this condition to allow each Unhasty Ent to skirmish until the regroup phase.
    "‘O rowan dead, upon your head your hair is dry and grey; / Your crown is spilled, your voice is stilled for ever and a day.'"


    This week's contest is...

    Card #15!

    Let's see some Shadow cards.

    • A [Moria] card (after Wrested Kingdom)
    • An [Orc] card
    • A [Raider] card (before Úlairë Attëa, Khamûl)


    Closing date: September 5th/10th (I may not be able to post on time next week - read top of post)! Good luck!


    :cheers: Lairs Card List  :cheers:
    Number - Name - (Culture • Type) - Contestant - Week it won
    1. Burned Village ([Dunland] • Condition) - Dictionary - 12
    2. •Stronghold of the Adorn River ([Dunland] • Possession) - Durin's Heir - 3
    3. •Balin, Lord of Moria ([Dwarven] • Ally) - menace64 - 8
    4. SUBJECT OF THIS WEEK'S VOTE
    5. Sméagol Lied ([Gollum] • Event) - SGollum - 4
    6. Worse Than Orcs ([Gollum] • Event) - menace64 - 9
    7. Commandeered Vessel ([Gondor] • Possession) - azogsbane - 16
    8. Sheltered Hollow ([Gondor] • Condition) - TelTura - 6
    9. Cold and Perilous ([Isengard] • Condition) - Durin's Heir - 17
    10.
    11. Smoke From Isengard ([Isengard] • Condition) - menace64 - 13
    12.
    13.
    14. •Wrested Kingdom ([Moria] • Condition) - menace64 - 1
    15. IN CREATION THIS WEEK
    16. •Úlairë Attëa, Khamûl ([Raider] • Minion) - SGollum - 7
    17. Angmar Haunts Us Still ([Wraith] • Condition) - TelTura - 15
    18. Southern Stranger ([Wraith] • Minion) - Inspire - 10
    19.
    20. •Bag End Hearth ([Shire] • Condition) - Inspire - 2
    21. •Merry, Conspirator ([Shire] • Companion) - Inspire - 5
    22. •Pippin, Out of the Bog and Briar ([Shire] • Companion) - Inspire - 14
    23. The Black Gate (Site) - SGollum - 11
    24.
    25.


    The Misadventure Deck (cards that lost due to coin-flip but will appear in the final cardlist! Maybe?)
    26. •Durin's Axe, Omen of Fortune ([Dwarven] • Artifact) - Durin's Heir - 4
    27. From Lowest Dungeon to Highest Peak ([Gandalf] • Event) - menace64 - 4
    28. Oath of Cirion ([Gondor] • Condition) - cw0rk - 16
    29. Key of Orthanc ([Isengard] • Artifact) - cw0rk - 17
    30. Orkish Whip ([Orc] • Possession) - Durin's Heir - 7[/list]
    « Last Edit: August 30, 2020, 02:52:10 PM by menace64 »

    August 30, 2020, 02:13:35 PM
    Reply #1

    Durin's Heir

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    Re: Fill in the Blank Season 1: Lairs #19
    « Reply #1 on: August 30, 2020, 02:13:35 PM »
    The graphic version of Cold and Perilous has a small problem: is unique, and should be not. If one should be unique, it is Cw0rk's Key of Orthanc, but that's his (and your) business, I'm fine with it.

    I'm actually very glad Cw0rk and I tied on last round, his Key is just AMAZING (with an "A" 3 times taller than you, as Zappa would say) and even synergizes with my condition, so having both cards will be boosting Isengard's underdog subcultures a huge lot.

    I'm super curious to see how this card affects Isengard, and Isengard Men specifically.
    Not only how affects [Isengard] Men and Wizards, but also how renders Fourth / Fifth Level useless (and Gondor Bow's wounding, since erases "fortification") vs any Isengard.
    “If you're not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed, and loving the people who are doing the oppressing.”  - Malcolm X

    August 30, 2020, 02:47:37 PM
    Reply #2

    menace64

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    Re: Fill in the Blank Season 1: Lairs #19
    « Reply #2 on: August 30, 2020, 02:47:37 PM »
    Fixed!

    August 30, 2020, 04:41:40 PM
    Reply #3

    Cw0rk

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    Re: Fill in the Blank Season 1: Lairs #19
    « Reply #3 on: August 30, 2020, 04:41:40 PM »
    The graphic version of Cold and Perilous has a small problem: is unique, and should be not. If one should be unique, it is Cw0rk's Key of Orthanc, but that's his (and your) business, I'm fine with it.

    I'm actually very glad Cw0rk and I tied on last round, his Key is just AMAZING (with an "A" 3 times taller than you, as Zappa would say) and even synergizes with my condition, so having both cards will be boosting Isengard's underdog subcultures a huge lot.

    I'm super curious to see how this card affects Isengard, and Isengard Men specifically.
    Not only how affects [Isengard] Men and Wizards, but also how renders Fourth / Fifth Level useless (and Gondor Bow's wounding, since erases "fortification") vs any Isengard.
    Thanks for the compliments! And WOW! @menace64, did you just Photoshop that key on Saruman's belt? It looks great! I think I spotted the trick after zooming on it. :D

    About the uniqueness, its my mistake. The key should be unique.

    About Cold and Perilous, I am not sure that I understand the last sentence. Shouldn't it be "Its bearer may exert to prevent that" rather than "Its bearer may exert instead"?

    August 30, 2020, 06:30:31 PM
    Reply #4

    menace64

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    Re: Fill in the Blank Season 1: Lairs #19
    « Reply #4 on: August 30, 2020, 06:30:31 PM »
    It's funny, because I went through that thought process when I was working on Key of Orthanc. "Well, it's non-unique, and the title says KEY, so I guess this card really is meant to represent just ONE key." Personally I like how the [Isengard] player could run (and play) a whole bunch of these at once. It makes sense.

    Ultimately I went with this scene for doctoring-in a key, since I figured Saruman's got the whole great ring of keys back inside the tower somewhere, but when he goes for walks he just takes the front door key.

    It isn't a perfect shop, but that's the "fault" of the huge templates.

    August 30, 2020, 07:32:29 PM
    Reply #5

    azogsbane

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    Re: Fill in the Blank Season 1: Lairs #19
    « Reply #5 on: August 30, 2020, 07:32:29 PM »
    [2] • Alliance [Raider]
    Condition • Support Area
    If a burden is added by a [Raider] minion's game text, you may spot a Southron to add [4].
    If a mounted [Raider] minion wins a skirmish, you may spot an Easterling to add a burden.
    "The Men of Rhun and of Harad, Easterling and Southron, saw the ruin of their war..."

    August 30, 2020, 07:56:08 PM
    Reply #6

    Inspire

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    Re: Fill in the Blank Season 1: Lairs #19
    « Reply #6 on: August 30, 2020, 07:56:08 PM »
    [7] •Rampaging Mûmakil [Raider]
    Minion • Mûmakil
    Strength: 14
    Vitality: 4
    Site: 4
    Fierce. To play, spot a Southron.
    Maneuver: Make this minion strength -2 until the regroup phase to make it damage +1 until the regroup phase.
    Skirmish: Discard a card at random from hand to make this minion strength +1. If it is a Free Peoples card, discard this minion.
    "On he came, straight towards the watchers, and then swerved aside in the nick of time, passing only a few yards away, rocking the ground beneath their feet…"
    « Last Edit: September 04, 2020, 08:36:01 PM by Inspire »

    August 31, 2020, 09:28:21 AM
    Reply #7

    menace64

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    Re: Fill in the Blank Season 1: Lairs #19
    « Reply #7 on: August 31, 2020, 09:28:21 AM »
    [2] •Throne of the Pirate King [Raider]
    Artifact
    Plays on your [Raider] support area possession that has a [Raider] token on it.
    Shadow: Stack a Corsair here. (Limit 1)
    Skirmish: Remove [X] to make a Corsair strength +X, where X is the printed vitality of a minion stacked here.
    Regroup: Play a Corsair stacked here.

    Get your boat out, stack your Corsair on the Throne, then enjoy the luxury of a constantly-available strength pump.

    August 31, 2020, 04:23:51 PM
    Reply #8

    azogsbane

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    Re: Fill in the Blank Season 1: Lairs #19
    « Reply #8 on: August 31, 2020, 04:23:51 PM »
    I don't know whether we're allowed to submit more than one entry, but even after posting a [Raider] card that I'm satisfied with, I couldn't resist the challenge of coming up with a [Moria] card that comes alphabetically after Wrested Kingdom. Menace64, if we are limited to one card apiece, then feel free to exclude which ever one of mine you like less.

    [1] • Zirakzigil [Moria]
    Condition • Support Area
    Each mountain site on the Adventure Path is underground.
    Response: If The Balrog is killed, spot a [Moria] token or discard this condition to return a companion (except the Ringbearer) to the Free Peoples player's hand.
    "From the lowest dungeon to the highest peak it climbed...I threw down my enemy...Then darkness took me."

    This card rightly plays off of Wrested Kingdom since Zirakzigil (another name for Durin's Tower) was a part of the lost Dwarven realm. This will make the Free Peoples player think twice before sic-ing Lady of Ithilien on the Balrog. They will have to decide whether just taking the skirmish damage is a better option. It might also make Flame of Udun more playable in later formats.
    « Last Edit: September 01, 2020, 02:11:38 PM by azogsbane »

    August 31, 2020, 04:31:12 PM
    Reply #9

    Cw0rk

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    Re: Fill in the Blank Season 1: Lairs #19
    « Reply #9 on: August 31, 2020, 04:31:12 PM »
    (0) Primitive Cave Paintings [Raider]
    Event • Shadow or Skirmish
    Play a mount from your discard pile on a minion with ambush.
    If you control an underground site, you may play this event from your discard pile.
    "'Strange are the ways of Men... Caves, they say! Caves!'"

    Designer's notes : The set is called Lairs. I envision paintings of mumaks, horses, fell beasts on cave walls (good luck finding or making such image menace64 ;)).  By making it "minions with ambush", it works with some of the old Southrons, some of the [Men] Men and the new Úlairë Attëa, Khamûl from this set. Lots of possibilities. I made it an event because I felt that there are too few of them so far in the set. The second effect is similar to Gollum, Plotting Deceiver or Let Her Deal With Them. I felt that Southron site control is too weak and needed such a boost.
    « Last Edit: August 31, 2020, 05:12:06 PM by Cw0rk »

    August 31, 2020, 04:35:12 PM
    Reply #10

    menace64

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    Re: Fill in the Blank Season 1: Lairs #19
    « Reply #10 on: August 31, 2020, 04:35:12 PM »
    Quote from: azogsbane
    Menace64, if we are limited to one card apiece, then feel free to exclude which ever one of mine you like less.

    Shoo I'll allow it in this case just because you joined us halfway through the contest.

    Unless anybody objects, I'm cool with letting azogsbane double-submit.

    August 31, 2020, 04:37:24 PM
    Reply #11

    menace64

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    Re: Fill in the Blank Season 1: Lairs #19
    « Reply #11 on: August 31, 2020, 04:37:24 PM »
    Quote from: Cw0rk
    (good luck finding or making such image menace64 ;))

    I do get the feeling that some of you tomfools have been submitting cards specifically to challenge imagification. Which, being a purebred menace, is something that I love.

    September 01, 2020, 02:07:56 PM
    Reply #12

    azogsbane

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    Re: Fill in the Blank Season 1: Lairs #19
    « Reply #12 on: September 01, 2020, 02:07:56 PM »
    @Cw0rk: Nice card. I love the versatility. You could even use it to play a warg on Foul Horde.

    September 04, 2020, 06:00:10 AM
    Reply #13

    Durin's Heir

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    Re: Fill in the Blank Season 1: Lairs #19
    « Reply #13 on: September 04, 2020, 06:00:10 AM »
    [1] Fingers of the Black Hand [Raider]
    Condition • Support Area
    For each unloaded game text keyword over 1 you can spot on [Raider] or [Sauron] minions, each [Raider] or [Sauron] minion is strength +1.
    Shadow: Play a minion with a race or keyword you cannot spot to add [1].
    "...Easterlings with axes, and Variags of Khand, Southrons in scarlet, and out of Far Harad black men..."

    The game never gave you anything for mixing 2+ subcultures of [Raider] Men or [Sauron] trackers/besiegers... until now. If you have a Southron, a Corsair and a Besieger on the board, each of them will be str+2 per copy of this condition: a good compensation for the almost absolute absence of game text and support card synergies.

    The special ability is meant to encourage the use of multiple keywords (unloaded or not) or races in the same deck. Originally was going to help [Raider], [Sauron] and [Wraith] only, but what the heck, Minas Tirith's fall was Sauron big bet so all his servants (like Misty Mountains Orcs, and his servants' servants like Saruman's Dunlendings and Orcs) should be deployed, sparing not a single one.
    « Last Edit: September 04, 2020, 07:36:14 PM by Durin's Heir »
    “If you're not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed, and loving the people who are doing the oppressing.”  - Malcolm X

    September 04, 2020, 07:22:14 PM
    Reply #14

    Durin's Heir

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    Re: Fill in the Blank Season 1: Lairs #19
    « Reply #14 on: September 04, 2020, 07:22:14 PM »
    Been a bit busy and troubled during this week, so I'm sorry for not responding/interacting before. But here I go:

    About Cold and Perilous, I am not sure that I understand the last sentence. Shouldn't it be "Its bearer may exert to prevent that" rather than "Its bearer may exert instead"?
    I used "instead" because is shorter than "to prevent that" so I could include the loretext. But the effect is the same in most cases*. Elessar's Edict has what Decipher called a clarification but is actually an errata with a slightly different effect: the clarification expands on the implicit "spot another exhausted [Gondor] Wraith" that is contained in the 'general function' "exhaust another [Gondor] Wraith", that part is a clarification; but also changes "discard him... instead" for "discard him... to prevent that", which should be labeled as an errata. My point is that Decipher considered the difference between "prevention" and "doing something instead" so tiny (unimportantly different) that they took it as interchangeable at least once.

    Other cards that use "instead" in lieu of "to prevent that" are The Dead City, Morning Came and Gorbag's Sword (the latter is actually very similar to Cold and Perilous: both are "a player's action" that targets "any player's card" for an effect, and allows "that card's owner" to replace such action with another specific effect).

    * "Instead" being different to "to prevent that" allows The One Ring to still absorb wounds at Steward's Tomb (which blocks wound prevention).

    Ultimately I went with this scene for doctoring-in a key, since I figured Saruman's got the whole great ring of keys back inside the tower somewhere, but when he goes for walks he just takes the front door key.
    Saruman had Man employees attending important things in Isengard, according to Merry: "'Saruman kept enough wisdom not to trust his Orcs. He had Men to guard his gates: some of his most faithful servants, I suppose.'" And Gandalf refers to the Key as singular: "'But you will first surrender to me the Key of Orthanc, and your staff. They shall be pledges of your conduct, to be returned later...'" So seems like Saruman made no copy of the Key (probably not an easy task considering the ancient Numenorean origins of it). He later surrenders it to Treebeard. So it was one only.

    But anyways, Cw0rk's Key has no cumulative effect so having multiple copies in play only gives you more reliability. I'm totally OK with that part (not that matters anyway, it's Cw0rk's and your business: to choose either stability or canon-flavor). Actually, I really wish they had made the Library of Orthanc non-unique, so you could have an easier time vs Dwarves or Roll of Thunder.

    It isn't a perfect shop, but that's the "fault" of the huge templates.
    The difference is noticeable only when zooming in, so perhaps by blurring the Key only (leaving the surroundings intact) until it matches the film frame will do the trick completely. Great shop btw, bravo!

    ---

    Quote from: azogsbane
    Menace64, if we are limited to one card apiece, then feel free to exclude which ever one of mine you like less.

    Shoo I'll allow it in this case just because you joined us halfway through the contest.

    Unless anybody objects, I'm cool with letting azogsbane double-submit.
    I'm too not objecting to it, but Azogsbane is "devaluating his own currency" so to say. I could post 5 or 10 cards but I still need most of the 5 to 8 usual votes concentrating on 1 card only, so it's completely counterproductive. So I say this to mr. Azogsbane: choose one, and invalidate the other yourself; but don't scratch nor erase your posts, your cards are really cool!
    « Last Edit: September 04, 2020, 07:27:37 PM by Durin's Heir »
    “If you're not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed, and loving the people who are doing the oppressing.”  - Malcolm X

    September 04, 2020, 09:46:15 PM
    Reply #15

    menace64

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    Re: Fill in the Blank Season 1: Lairs #19
    « Reply #15 on: September 04, 2020, 09:46:15 PM »
    Zeroth: I'm on mobile so here I go skipping all the quoting and fancy notations.

    First: it's been a good long while since I've been titillated by a LotR wording discussion. :gp:

    Second: I don't know where I picked up the notion that Orthanc came with more than one key, but I happen to have a copy of Two Towers with me and - yup! - it's the Key of Orthanc. But yeah, I also don't have a problem leaving AB's card as non-unique, for the same reasons you brought up. (Tidbit of my near-future intentions: I do hope to have a "post-contest" round where we can tinker with the final cardlist, so if we wanna nudge cards slightly, we'll have a thread for it.)

    Third: I have no idea how to (easily) apply blur effects in PS. It just hasn't ever come up for me in the past, but I'll look into it once I'm back in the same county as my desktop.