Chapter Summaries

The group reached Rivendell with the Ringwraiths close behind, but Gandalf arrived on a Great Eagle and drove them away with the power of his staff. After reuniting with the Hobbits and Aragorn, Gandalf disappointed Russell by revealing that the holy light was not a spell he could teach.

• Aragorn, Arwen, Russell, Frodo, and the other Hobbits rode toward Rivendell, pursued by five Ringwraiths.
• At Rivendell's river boundary, Russell taunted the Ringwraiths while Arwen prepared a spell, and they began to withdraw.
• Gandalf arrived on a Great Eagle and used his staff's holy light to scatter the Ringwraiths.
• Gandalf reunited with the four Hobbits and embraced Aragorn, who introduced him to Russell.
• Russell asked Gandalf to teach him the Illumination Spell, but Gandalf removed the glowing stone from his staff and said the power was not his to teach.

Russell arrived in Rivendell with the others, grew frustrated with the Elves’ fixation on looks, and spent the night studying Elvish. Aragorn then summoned him to Elrond’s council about the One Ring, where Russell met Rivendell’s lord.

• Russell’s group entered Rivendell with Arwen’s help and split up, with Frodo going to find Bilbo.
• Russell explored the city, complained that the Elves valued appearance, and failed to attract any female Elves’ interest.
• Russell studied Elvish books in a treehouse library through the night.
• Aragorn found Russell and told him Elrond and Gandalf wanted him at a council about the One Ring.
• Russell accompanied Aragorn to the open-air conference hall and saw Elrond presiding over representatives of Elves, humans, and Dwarves.

Russell joined the Fellowship of the Ring and turned its journey into a food-filled outing with his emergency-ration nightmare steeds. When he accidentally took the One Ring from Frodo, its power drew him in and he put it on.

• Russell watched Elrond’s council descend into arguments before Frodo volunteered to destroy the One Ring, and Elrond and Gandalf chose Russell and others for the Fellowship.
• The elves reforged Narsil, and Aragorn renamed the sword Andúril before the Fellowship left Rivendell.
• Gandalf rejected Gimli’s suggestion to travel through the Mines of Moria, while Gimli complained that he had to run because the nightmare steeds carried the Hobbits.
• Russell joked that the nightmare steeds were emergency rations and disguised himself as a Ringwraith, frightening Frodo off his horse.
• Russell missed catching Frodo and pulled away his necklace, which held the One Ring; ignoring Gandalf’s warning, he slipped the ring onto his middle finger.

Russell resisted Sauron’s temptation after putting on The One Ring, removed it, and handed it to Frodo. Though Gandalf and the others celebrated, Russell later regretted refusing Sauron’s offer of Dragon’s Power.

• Russell put on The One Ring and was drawn into a vision of Sauron, who promised him Dragon’s Power if he brought the Ring to Mordor.
• Russell’s system issued a World Quest to destroy Mordor, The One Ring, and Sauron, while warning that failure would leave him in Middle-earth as the leader of the Ringwraiths.
• Russell activated the Mechanical Heart skill card, resisted the Ring’s corruption, and removed it despite Sauron’s attempts to sway him.
• Russell returned to the others and placed The One Ring in Frodo’s hand as Gandalf and the rest watched in disbelief.
• Aragorn and the others praised Russell, but he later cried out in regret over refusing Sauron’s offer of Dragon’s Power.

After Sauron discovered the Fellowship, Gandalf redirected them toward the Mines of Moria, where the group ignored his warnings and hunted a lake monster for dinner. The chapter ended with everyone feasting while Gandalf joined them, despite worrying that their comfort was making them careless.

• Russell told Gandalf that he had seen Sauron, who offered him Dragon's Power in exchange for the One Ring, and lamented refusing the deal.
• Gandalf concluded that Sauron had exposed their route and led the Fellowship toward the Mines of Moria to avoid Saruman's Uruk-hai.
• At Moria's West-gate, Gandalf tried several spells to open the door, then discovered that the Fellowship had gone fishing for the lake monster.
• Russell directed the group as Aragorn, Boromir, Gimli, and Legolas fought and killed the enormous octopus.
• The Fellowship cooked the octopus around a campfire, and Gandalf joined their meal after worrying that their feasting would dull their vigilance.

After Russell opened the West-gate of Moria by speaking the Elvish word for “friend,” the Fellowship entered and discovered the Dwarves had been slaughtered. As they pressed onward into the Orc-held Mine, Russell resolved to help Gandalf face the Balrog.

• After the meal, Boromir, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gandalf reacted to Russell’s suggestive remark, while Gimli denied understanding it.
• Gandalf said he had found the West-gate of Moria but was still puzzling over its secret words.
• Aragorn translated “friend” as “Mellon,” and Russell’s spoken word opened the gate; the Hobbits praised Russell while teasing Gandalf for failing to solve the riddle.
• Gandalf lit the way through the Mine, where the Fellowship found Dwarf corpses and broken weapons scattered across a great hall.
• Legolas identified an arrow as Orc-made, Gimli grieved over the dead, and Gandalf led the Fellowship deeper despite Aragorn’s warning.
• Russell realized Gandalf would soon face the Balrog and decided to help him avoid the coming tragedy.

The Fellowship of the Ring crossed Moria while Gollum secretly followed, then Orcs ambushed them in Khazad-dûm. Russell destroyed five Ogres with lightning, leaving the Orcs silent as the palace shook.

• Gandalf led the group through Moria, where Russell’s Nightmare helped them cross broken paths and Gollum followed in secret.
• Gandalf confirmed that Gollum had escaped Barad-dûr and urged Frodo to show mercy, while Russell argued that killing Gollum would end his suffering.
• Orcs climbed the cliffs and forced the Fellowship to flee deeper into the Mines, with Aragorn breaking a stone path to delay their pursuers.
• The group reached Khazad-dûm and discovered it was crowded with Orcs, then fought their way through the surrounding army.
• Five Ogres entered the battle, and Russell unleashed two lightning wolves that destroyed them and left the Orcs too frightened to make a sound.

After the Orcs fled, Gandalf and Russell stayed behind to face the approaching Balrog while Aragorn led the others away. Russell studied the fiery demon and wondered if it could be eaten as Gandalf launched the first attack.

• Russell's explosive attack drove the Orcs into a panicked retreat, but Gandalf sensed a greater danger approaching.
• Gandalf recognized the Balrog and ordered the group to flee across the Bridge of Khazad-dûm.
• Russell refused to leave, and Gandalf chose to stay with him while Aragorn led the others away.
• Russell triggered two Lottery Draw opportunities upon encountering the Balrog and examined the demon as it entered the hall.
• Gandalf warned Russell about the Balrog's dark flames, then attacked when Russell wondered whether it could be eaten.

Gandalf and the Balrog traded powerful blows in the palace before the Balrog turned its fire against Russell. Russell transformed into a second Balrog and knocked the first one down, leaving Gandalf stunned.

• Gandalf wounded and froze part of the Balrog, but it healed and struck him through the palace, smashing dozens of pillars.
• The Balrog turned on Russell, and Russell used his sword and a summoned silver wolf against it before activating two draws.
• The Balrog tore the wolf apart and engulfed Russell's position in flames, leaving Gandalf believing Russell was lost.
• Russell emerged transformed into a gigantic Balrog, knocked the original to the ground, and began punching it while Gandalf stared in disbelief.

Russell and Gandalf defeated the Balrog by destroying the dark stone that sustained its power. As Gandalf recovered, he realized Russell was picking through the corpse and feared that his friend Guan He, leader of the Great Eagles, might be next.

• Russell pinned the Balrog down, broke both its horns, and fought back after it escaped and attacked him with battle-axes.
• Russell disabled the Balrog and held it in place while Gandalf cut open its neck and dispersed its dark power with an Illumination Spell.
• Russell tore off the Balrog's head, cut open its chest, and removed the dark-energy stone that sustained it.
• Gandalf destroyed the stone with his staff's light, ending the Balrog's regeneration and letting the hall cool.
• Russell picked through the corpse, and Gandalf worried that Guan He and the Great Eagles might become his next target.

After the Fellowship rested beyond the Misty Mountains, Russell cooked and served Balrog meat, which strengthened the others but caused Gandalf to collapse and undergo a divine transformation. The group set out for Lothlórien with Gandalf cocooned in golden light, while Russell expected him to awaken as the White of Magic.

• Russell cooked Balrog meat, and the Fellowship eagerly gathered around the pot to eat.
• Russell forced Gandalf to eat some Balrog meat, and Gandalf collapsed after swallowing it.
• Golden light enveloped Gandalf's body and began transforming him, while Russell realized the heavens had found an excuse to grant him a cheat.
• Russell asked where the Fellowship should go next, and Aragorn and Legolas named Lothlórien.
• Gimli complained about Galadriel, while Russell recalled her near-fall to darkness and decided the Fellowship would be safe with Gandalf nearby.

The Fellowship arrived in Lothlórien and met Galadriel, who privately told Russell that he had resisted the temptation of The One Ring. As the group settled in for the night, Aragorn tried to stop Russell from sneaking out, but Russell agreed only after Aragorn promised to introduce him to a female Elf.

• Legolas described Lothlórien and Galadriel's standing among the Elves.
• A squad of Elves stopped the Fellowship at the forest entrance and escorted them to Galadriel and Celeborn's palace.
• Celeborn asked where Gandalf was, and Aragorn explained that Gandalf was resting after running into trouble.
• Galadriel warned the Fellowship to remain united, then privately told Russell that he had resisted the temptation of The One Ring.
• Russell tried to leave the tree house, and Aragorn persuaded him to stay by promising to ask Arwen to introduce him to a female Elf.

Russell hid behind a waterfall to avoid Galadriel, but she found him and questioned how he had resisted The One Ring. After testing her own temptation, Galadriel rejected its power and left Russell bewildered.

• Russell hid behind a waterfall after unicorns fled, but Galadriel arrived and enclosed the pool with a barrier.
• Galadriel confronted Russell and demanded to know how he had resisted The One Ring’s temptation.
• Galadriel offered Russell anything he wanted in exchange for the secret, then hinted that she knew about his stories in Rivendell and Lothlórien.
• Galadriel touched Russell as she struggled with the Ring’s temptation, then withdrew and said she had passed her test.
• Galadriel warned Russell to leave the unicorns alone and returned to Lothlórien, while Russell wondered why she had rejected the Ring rather than keep going dark.

Russell used five lottery draws after meeting Galadriel, then watched Gandalf become the White and secretly visit her. At the lord's palace, Gandalf asked Lothlórien to aid humanity against the growing darkness, but Celeborn and Galadriel refused and chose to sail west.

• Russell learned that the system had triggered five draws when he first met Galadriel, and he used the Magic Power card to strengthen his own Magic Power.
• Russell left Nenya untouched, returned to the treehouse, moved Gandalf off the bed, and covered the sleeping Aragorn with a blanket.
• Russell saw Gandalf change his grey robe into a white one and reveal a radiant staff, then watched him pretend not to know how a sword had appeared in his hand.
• Gandalf invited Russell to visit Galadriel, but Russell declined, and Gandalf sneaked out alone.
• Gandalf asked Celeborn and Galadriel to help humanity resist Mordor and Isengard, but Celeborn refused and Galadriel silently supported his decision to sail west.

After learning that Isengard’s Uruk-hai had invaded Rohan, Gandalf and the Fellowship chose to detour to Edoras and aid its people before continuing toward Mordor. Russell proposed using Rohan and Gondor to divide Sauron’s forces, and Gandalf privately intended to deal with Saruman.

• Gandalf told Frodo and the others that Saruman’s Uruk-hai had attacked Rohan and that King Théoden was under Saruman’s control.
• Aragorn asked Frodo to decide whether the Fellowship should change course, and Frodo asked Russell for advice.
• Russell proposed helping Rohan, placing Aragorn on Gondor’s throne, and using the two kingdoms’ forces to distract Sauron while the Fellowship went to Mount Doom.
• Gandalf urged the group to help Rohan’s suffering people, and Frodo decided they would travel to Edoras instead of going directly to Mount Doom.
• The Fellowship set out for Edoras, while Gandalf intended to teach Saruman a lesson by killing him.

Gandalf and the Fellowship traveled to Rohan, rescued Eomer’s cavalry from Uruk-hai, and healed the wounded prince Theodred. Eomer warned them that Rohan faced threats inside and out as Saruman’s forces pressed on its borders.

• Gandalf and the Fellowship rode south through Rohan on warhorses provided by Galadriel, with Gimli riding behind Legolas.
• Gandalf spotted Eomer’s cavalry surrounded by Uruk-hai, and the Fellowship destroyed the attackers.
• Eomer welcomed Gandalf and Boromir, then asked Gandalf to save the badly wounded Theodred.
• Gandalf healed Theodred with an Illumination Spell and asked Eomer about Rohan’s situation.
• Eomer reported that Uruk-hai attacked Rohan’s borders, Théoden’s health was declining, and villains were troubling the king.
• Gandalf and the others rode through the night toward Edoras, while Gandalf worried that Saruman’s attacks had divided Rohan’s cavalry.

Russell and Gandalf arrived in Edoras with the Fellowship and freed King Théoden from Saruman’s control. The king spared Grima, but Russell secretly imprisoned him in a way that left Gandalf horrified.

• Russell’s awkward joke about Rohan and Gondor offended Eomer, and Gandalf and Aragorn tried to smooth things over.
• Edoras’s guards barred Gandalf’s party from bringing weapons into the palace, though they let Gandalf keep his staff as a walking cane.
• Grima accused Gandalf and Eomer of plotting against Théoden, but Gandalf exposed Saruman’s control and overcame him in a magical contest.
• Théoden awakened, regained his strength, and chose to spare Grima, who left the palace.
• Gandalf signaled Russell to deal with Grima, and Russell returned claiming he had imprisoned Grima’s head while sending his body away on a warhorse.

Théoden declared war on Isengard and prepared Rohan to defend Helm’s Deep, emboldened by the survival of his son and bloodline. At the Hornburg, Gandalf planned to seek the Ents’ help and asked Russell to support Théoden while he was away, but Russell refused his trust.

• Théoden ordered Eomer to sound the horns and formally declare war on Isengard.
• Théoden explained that he would fight at Helm’s Deep to protect Rohan and secure the royal family’s future.
• Russell and Gandalf arrived at the Hornburg and discussed its defenses and Saruman’s likely hidden forces.
• Gandalf ruled out help from the elves and Gondor, then decided to seek the Ents’ aid against Saruman.
• Gandalf asked Russell to assist Théoden while he searched for the Ents, and Russell bluntly refused.

Russell agreed to defend Helm’s Deep after Gandalf promised to teach him the Illumination Spell. When scouts reported a combined Isengard and Mordor army of thirty thousand approaching, Théoden prepared Rohan for battle and learned that Gandalf’s reinforcements would arrive at the last moment.

• Russell protested Gandalf’s request to take charge of Helm’s Deep, then agreed after Gandalf promised to teach him the Illumination Spell.
• Gandalf rode away to seek reinforcements, leaving Russell to defend Helm’s Deep.
• Théoden told Russell that he believed Rohan’s forces could defeat Isengard and expressed displeasure that Gandalf had left.
• A messenger reported that thirty thousand troops, including Isengard’s Uruk-hai, Mordor’s Orcs, and Ringwraiths on flying dragons, were advancing.
• Théoden ordered the cavalry to withdraw, mobilized the people and militia, and asked Russell when Gandalf would return.
• Russell told Théoden that Gandalf would arrive at the last moment, and Théoden hoped that moment would come soon.

As Isengard’s vast allied army surrounded Hornburg, Russell prepared to confront it alone and warned the defenders to stay away. He descended from the fortress using water and activated the Liam Hartwell character card.

• Russell learned that Dunlendings had joined Isengard’s army and saw the defenders’ fear as the enormous force approached Hornburg in a storm.
• Russell gave his shield to an old militiaman, who passed it to a boy in exchange for a wooden board.
• Russell told Legolas the Orcs would wait until morning, but Legolas warned that they would attack at night.
• Russell climbed onto the wall with his weapons, raised himself on a hand of water, and ordered Théoden to keep the gates shut and everyone away from him.
• Russell descended from Hornburg and activated the Character Card: Liam Hartwell.