Missed the Sunday post but here's a report!
Saruman appeared and swiftly began training wargs. The fellowship was unable to move, so cards were drawn, armies moved and Rohan mustered, but alas, the Edoras army left without Theoden! The wargs attacked the fords - killing Theodred - and then Helm's Deep. The army at Westment could not wait for their king, the defenders of Helm's Deep needed Help Unlooked For. The battle was underwhelming, but the siege was delayed for a few turns.
Meanwhile the Fellowship was caught by the Balrog and took terrible, terrible damage. Each of the hunt draws was pretty much best case scenario for move, Balrog, Stronghold, and 2 hunt cards. No wasted eyes, no wasted reveals. Gandalf was gone, the hobbits went missing, and much corruption was taken. Strider hid the fellowship once more, but it was clear that they needed rest. The shadow would not let them have it easily, and brought armies from Dol Guldor and Moria to Lorien.
Theoden reinforced in Folde and Edoras, and marched into Westment. He clashed with Warg reinforcements from Orthanc, and retreated to Fangorn. There he met the new White Wizard, Gandalf, and was convinced to relieve the elves in Lorien, picking up the lost hobbits on the way. This doomed Rohan for the greater good. Strider was caught again moving out of Dimril Dale and was unable to enter Lorien. Still, the fellowship needed rest and Theoden was coming, so he decided to turn back and try again.
He died.
The fellowship finally entered Lorien, and Frodo looked in the Mirror of Galadriel. I can only suspect it was a grim vision he had, because the Shadow armies would not relent. Theoden, Gandalf, Celeborn, many elites, and the hobbits could not inflict enough damage on the combined Dol Guldor and rebuilt Orthanc wargs. The Witch King died, but so did they. The fellowship continued to be harassed to MT, but there was no time to linger there either. A shadow army from the Black Gate pressed north and joined up with Lorien's conquerors. Another force of Uruks from Isengard marched on Rivendell.
The fellowship was battered and limping. Even as Woodland Realm and Rivendell were reinforced, the shadow armies pressing toward them were undaunted. Men of the North stood in their path and joined the Elves in the Stronghold. More men were mustered in Carrok and Dale. The Carrok army was crushed by shadow reinforcements, Dale continued to muster, but could not intervene before Thranduil and the men died. The men of Dale had numbers but no leadership. The Shadow army attacked Dale. The men stood firm until a lone regular limped into Erebor.
The Free Peoples were all but lost, and the Fellowship had not yet reached Mordor. More men were mustered in the west to defend Rivendell from the Uruk-hai marching north, but they were unable to reach the House of Elrond in time. Thus did darkness swallow the lands of Middle Earth.